The Flower and The Asgardian Prince
by Katie Van Helsing
Summary: A/U (Kind of) Loki, Avengers, OC. A young woman shopping for a dress for a wedding gets an unexpected visitor. And we all know what happens when Loki finds something he likes. ((A/N: Work-in-progress, I am doing constant reviews of my chapters as my grammar can be kinda bad at times, but I hope you all enjoy)
1. Chapter 1

The attendant adjusted the straps on the back of the dress, motioning for the young woman to turn around and look in the mirror. She did so, gazing at the reflection as a wave of emotion surged over her. She shivered a little, smiling and laughing at what she saw. The attendant smiled.

"It was made for you," she said, standing up, brushing out the back of the dress.

The girl turned around, nearly giggling like a child. "Sorry, I've… I've just never worn a dress like this before."

"Really?" The attendant smiled. "Well, it looks incredible on you. Any particular occasion?"

She nodded. "My cousin is getting married. It's gonna be kind of a "fancy" theme."

"Where's the wedding?" The attendant asked, double-checking the base of the dress, fanning it out so it flowed around the girl's feet.

"New York. I'm headed out there right after graduation."

The attendant's smile faulted. "Is that safe?" She asked softly. "You know what's been…"

The girl nodded. "Yeah… A couple people have opted not to go, but… It wouldn't be right not to be there. He's family and I wanna be there. Besides, maybe things will be better by then."

The attendant's smile came back slightly, she stood up. "Good for you. I'm gonna see if I can find some shoes that'll match, I'll be back."

"Kay," the girl watched the attendant leave before looking back at the dress. The little sting of fear in her chest began to die down. She was scared to go to the wedding. There had been a lot of strange events happening, most of them based in New York. But she wouldn't back down from this. She had faith that whatever was occurring would end soon. It couldn't last forever.

But, she couldn't ignore the strange feeling in her chest that wouldn't go away. Something… something was going to happen.

She shook her head and looked at the dress again, hardly able to believe that it looked as good on her as it did. A light, spring yellow material, decorated with crystals and a shoulder strap lined with flowers. In her entire life, she couldn't remember even trying on such a beautiful dress… or feeling so pretty.

For fun, she closed her eyes and spun around, taking in the moment as though she were a Disney Princess. When she opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, her heart stopped.

She was staring not only at her reflection, but ANOTHER figure in the mirror. She turned around and her heart stopped within her chest.

A man was standing there.

The dressing room was big enough for him to enter comfortably, but she hadn't heard the door open or close and her eyes had only been shut for a second. Less than a second even. She trembled slightly, her head telling her to scream, but her instincts holding her back. Something about this man kept her silent.

He was a tall man, a good one if not two feet taller than her and his eyes were an icy blue. He wore thick robes made of dark leather, lined with deep green fabric. When he moved, he did not seem weighed down by them. In truth, they accented him perfectly. His dark hair was slicked back and his skin was very light, almost pale.

One other thing. He radiated power.

He stepped towards her and she shrunk back slightly. Her body almost pressed against the glass of the mirror. This caused him to smile. His eyes turned to the dress.

"It is a fine gown," he said, his voice strangely smooth. There was an element of laughter in it, dark laughter. "Where I was raised, such a gown would be worn in celebration of a birth… or a wedding." A little laughter escaped his lips. "Such a gown would be enough to hide the fact that you are a mortal. Is it for such an occasion? Are you to be wed, young mortal?"

Terror clung to her chest, making her breaths slightly shallow. She shook her head. "No… my cousin is."

"Ah," he nodded. "Do you not worry that you shall take all eyes away from the bride? Surely all the young men will look your way."

Despite her fear, she felt a strange warmth creeping up to her cheeks. She swallowed. "Everyone's going to be dressed like this. It's the theme."

"The natures of human customs are obscure," he grinned. "But it is ultimately of no concern to me."

Starting at him, she wondered whether or not she should attempt to cry for help, but she knew what this man could do. She recognized him from the pictures on the news and online. He'd brought down men at least three times her size and ten times her strength. He could probably touch her with one finger and she'd be no more then a pile of ash.

"Does my presence upset you?" He came closer, clearly pleased by her terror. He leaned over her and she could feel his breath on her face. A strand of hair fell out of place, landing upon her cheek. She felt his fingers gently take hold of it, rubbing it like a designer examining a piece of material. He leaned down, inhaling the smell, looking at his handiwork as she tried to contain her shivering. He chuckled, "I would think you would be honored. Your king saw it fit to speak to you, a lowly mortal of no worth. Am I not to be thanked?"

She'd read what he had said to those people back in Germany, how he'd declared himself king over the earth and demanded that they bow to him. But why was he here? What interest did he have in someone like her? And here of all places! Was this his idea of fun? A game?

Fine fingers made their way under her chin, turning her head so she would be forced to look him in the eye. His smile never faltered for a second. "Well?"

"Thank you." The words came out as little more than a whisper. He came even closer, his body pressed up against her smaller form, nearly pushing her into the mirror, straining the glass.

"Thank you…?" He asked again, his grip on her chin became tighter. She swallowed. She knew what he wanted to hear. A part of her didn't want to say it, but she knew she had no choice. So… why was there a part of her that… wanted to say it?

"Thank you… My Lord."

His grip lightened and he stepped back somewhat, the smell of his clothes staying with her. Despite his dress, he smelled strangely, well, clean. Almost like the smell of snow…

She swallowed, deciding to press her luck. "Why are you here?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What law is there to say a ruler cannot walk amongst his subjects?" He asked. "A bit of fun every now and then is an enjoyable thing. And mortals are prepared for so very little in their lives. Like you." He grinned. "Had you been wise, you would have known to live in the knowledge that any moment, you might be in your king's presence." His face became strangely content. "I will say this, out of all the mortals I have visited today, you are certainly the calmest…" his eyes looked down at her gown. "And certainly one of the loveliest."

He released her chin. His hand moved carefully to collect her her own, his hand dwarfed hers by comparison. He seemed pleasantly surprised when she flinched only a little.

"You fear me. Good."

"It would be stupid not to be," she whispered.

"The more you understand that, the longer you will live. And live in my good graces at that."

He pulled her to face the mirror again. She looked in, staring at both of their reflections. He placed his hands upon her shoulders.

"When the earth is mine, there will be a great cause for celebration. A festival for the world to behold. Who knows? I might even wish for your presence."

He lifted her hand up, nearly forcing her to twirl like a dancer. As she did, little yellow flower petals drifted from the dress, emerging from the fabric as though it was made of flowers itself. She caught a glimpse of her self and her… dance partner in the mirror. The scene looked like something out of fairy tale, decorating the air around her, but as the petals fell to the ground, they faded away like smoke, a product of his power.

A knock at the door drew their attention, forcing him to stop the dance.

"Miss?" The attendant's voice called in. "Sorry I took so long."

The dark figured turned back to the girl, pleased to see she had no intention of speaking, not yet anyway. A very smart child, he noted. He motioned for her to address the woman at the door.

"It's… it's fine. Um, would you mind giving me another minute?"

"Is everything all right?" The attendant asked.

The man's face contorted a little in annoyance. The girl swallowed. "Yes, I just need another minute."

"All right," the attendant said, the sounds of her footsteps eventually fading from earshot. The man turned back to her.

"It might be best if we part ways, now," he smiled. "I will call on you again, little mortal, make no mistake. And it would do you well to be better prepared." He smiled, slowly releasing her hand and just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone.

The girl stood there, trembling at what had just occurred, trying to calm her racing heart beat. She opened her mouth to call out to the attendant, when something flew from her lips, landing softly on the folded clothes she'd left on the bench.

A yellow flower petal.

When she opened her eyes, the ground beneath her felt cold and hard. Pipes dripped with condensation and there was a strange chill in the air, mixed with a light sent of earth. Her head felt light, lost in a thick fog. She remembered getting off the train at Grand Central and taking a cab to her cousin's house. But when she stepped outside the cab, everything went black.

She pushed herself up from the ground, despite the swirling in her head. Her eyes started to adjust to the darkened area, her ears picking up the sounds of machinery and voices in the distance.

She shook her head, trying to pull herself together-

"Get up."

The sound of the voice made her scream a little as she looked up. Several men were standing there, all of them dressed in black, carrying guns. Her heart sank into the very pit of her stomach. She scrambled to get to her feet, but found it strangely hard to move. Looking down, her blood turned to ice.

She was wearing the dress she had brought for the wedding!

One of the men, the only one that did not wear a mask, approached her. She'd admit he was a handsome man, but there was something strange about his eyes. This bright, almost soulless ice blue.

"Get up," the man repeated. "He wants to speak with you."

"He?" The word was barely audible as the man pulled her to her feet. She was even wearing the shoes she'd picked out. What the hell was-

Everything in her body froze as it dawned on her. No…

Under armed escort, she was lead down a long hallway, deeper into the cavernous lair. The man from before stood beside he, the only one not armed with a gun. Instead, he carried a recurve bow. Under any other circumstance, she'd have to admit it was pretty cool. Eventually, they reached a door and he entering the room without so much as knocking.

Almost as if the person inside already knew they'd been coming.

When he emerged, he dismissed the other men and motioned for her to enter, pushing her in slightly when her body refused to move. She spun around in enough time to see the door close and lock behind her.

"We meet again."

It was impossible to forget a voice like that. A voice that had entered her soul and coiled itself up comfortably around her heart, refusing to leave. She turned around, her eyes locking with his almost instantly. She trembled as that smile appeared on his lips once more.

That smile that she'd seen in her nightmares.

"Has it truly been so long since we last met, little mortal," he approached her. "That you do not remember how to greet your king?"

Nothing about him had changed. He looked exactly as he did in her dreams. No, her nightmares. She'd awake up every night covered in sweat. Her friend kept asking her what was wrong, telling her she looked sick, but she hadn't told them anything. Would they even believe such a story? She was having a hard time believing it herself.

She backed away slowly as he came near, her eyes were drawn to the strange staff in his hand. Golden in form with a terrible metal curve at the top. A bright blue gem glowed in the center, the same color as the eyes of the man she'd seen previously. Despite the fear in her chest, she rose herself up and held her ground. Whatever this… whatever he wanted with her, it was clear it was not going to end as suddenly as she'd hoped, but she would not be a coward.

"Where am I?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling. He smiled in response.

"Where you are need not concern you," he said. "It's before whom you stand that should make you wary."

"Who are you?" She asked, her eyes darting between him and the staff, suddenly aware of exactly how sharp the tip looked, like a sharpened carving knife.

"Did I not state this before?" He asked. "I am your king and I brought you here, little mortal, because as obscure as it might be, I find myself thinking of you. I wished for your company again."

"So you kidnapped me?" She asked.

"I can not kidnap what is rightfully mine," he responded.

She stared at him, lifting her head. "I am not yours."

He chuckled. "All man kind is mine, you are but a fish in an ocean that belongs to me. But your scales have caught my attention, mortal." He held out his hand but retracted it slowly as she refused to accept it. "And I mean to have said fish as my pet… or my dinner. Whichever you find more pleasing."

Her heart began to race. He was going to kill her?

"Not if you obey."

His warm breath hit her ears and she yelped as she turned. He'd just appeared behind her! And… had he just read her mind?

"Mortal eyes are both a blessing and a curse," he said, moving forward, forcing her to retreat into a corner of the room, trapping her. "You show both what you wish to and what you wish was never there. Eyes witness beauty and horror daily, but they reveal deep, exciting secrets. Secrets of the very heart and soul you mortals seek to protect so deeply."

Her fingers felt the cold wall of the room, looking to the side for only a moment, only to look back to see him right in front of her.

"Eyes like yours are fascinating," he smiled, catching her chin as she tried to turn away. "Warm, full of life, but so quick to show fear," he clicked his tongue. "That is a very dangerous mistake."

From the corner of her eye, she could see him lifting his staff. Her heart stopped, she braced herself for whatever he was about to do.

"Why should you live your life in fear?"

She trembled as he placed the staff right above her heart, she could feel it's sharp tip driving into her skin slightly.

"When I can give you peace."

A wave of ice shot through her body….

Her body froze at the river of cold that crept through her veins, forcing her relax as it worked its way up to her mind. She wasn't sure what it was. It felt as though a freezing mist had crept into her blood and was slowly trying to reach her mind. She closed her eyes as the essence slithered through her throat and towards her temples. She could feel something; cold fingers probing her head, wishing for her to let down her shields and allow this force into her mind.

"No…." She felt the fingers clawing at her skull, forces pushing on her mind. The pain brought tears to her eyes. The more she resisted the more terrible the pain became, like someone was driving spikes through her brain. She felt him press the spear further into her chest, followed by a sharp pinch. She could feel a tiny tickle of blood coming down from her chest. She shook her head, her body now beginning to overflow with the freezing essence, almost burning her from the inside. "No… NO!"

She broke away, falling to the ground, her body trembling as the powerful sprit left her, unable to accomplish its task. She lay on the ground, her weak body shivering and her lungs gasping for breath. Her fingers gripped the edges of the man's boots, desperate to cling to something, anything to keep her grounded.

He stared down at the weakened mortal, his face awash with confusion and shock. This young mortal, this… well, in truth, this child had resisted the Tesseract's power, something not even the best agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been able to accomplish

His lips twisted into a smile. This was going to be even more enjoyable than he first imagined. He stepped away from the girl, giving her a moment to recover before he addressed her.

"A fearful child," he grinned. "Yet able to resist the draw of the Tesseract. There is more to this little flower than meets the eye."

To her credit, he watched as she gathered her strength, forcing her body to stand on shaking legs as she clung to the wall for support. Her hand gripped her heart, trying to keep the cut from bleeding anymore.

"It still leaves me with quite the predicament," he smiled. "I require you to be my servant, yet you have closed your heart to me."

Her breath was quick and labored. "Get… get someone else…"

He laughed slightly. "I think not, my flower. There are other ways to get what I desire." He twisted his hand and the room instantly filled with a strange smoke, forming and reflecting the soft light in the room as though it was made of tiny mirrors. She watched closely as the smoke formed into a scene before her, her heart shattering as it played out…

"Something's wrong!" Her mother paced through the hallway of the house, her eyes bright red from crying. "Something has to be wrong, we need to call the police."

Her father tried to stop her in her place. "It's okay, honey, calm-"

"Don't! Don't tell me to calm down! I know something's wrong!"

"Please," Her aunt stood up, "I'm sure everything is okay. Maybe her phone went dead or she accidentally got on the wrong train."

"She's smarter than that," Her uncle noted. "I think we should call the cops too, it's getting too late."

"Her train came in on time," her cousin came in the room, followed by his fiancé. "I just got with the station, they're gonna send a bulletin out." He looked over at her shivering mother. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's safe.

"He's right, you know."

Her tearful eyes turned away from the scene as the man opened his hand, summoning the smoke back to him, nearly crushing it in his palm as it vanished. He smiled down at her.

"You are safe here. As are they."

The words burned into her soul. So that was his game, go right for the heart.

"If you would rather have your freedom, little flower, you are more than welcome to leave now," he smiled. "But know that I am not one to openly loose what I wish for. Strange," he mused. "None of your family intrigues me the way you do. There might not be a place for them in my-"

"NO!"

Weakened and scared, she fell to her knees, trembling at his feet.

"I do it," She said. "I'll do whatever you want. Please… don't hurt them."

He grinned sadistically, lowering his hand directly in front of her face, watching with satisfaction as she took it gently, kissing it with respect.

"I am your lord," he said. "I am your king and till the day you draw your final breath, you shall serve me as I deem fit, do you understand?"

She swallowed. "Yes… my Lord."

Gently, almost tenderly, he pulled her to her feet and waved his hand over her heart. The cut that had formed upon her chest was gone and her dress was free from filth and grime. Even her shoes were completely clean, and slightly softer too. He brushed his fingers across her hair and a beautiful yellow flower appeared behind her ear. She looked like his complete opposite, a star in a dark and stormy sky.

"From this day forth," his face was still, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "No one but I shall touch you. Any mortal, any god who touches you shall die before you eyes. You live only to serve your king, no others matter."

She could feel her heart shattering at his words. "Yes, my lord."

"Come," he moved back towards the seat where he had been meditating before. He motioned for her to follow him. She did so, quietly. He made her sit beside the chair, reaching over and gently leaning her head against his leg. His fingers caressed her cheek, moving upward to comb his fingers through her hair.

"Rejoice, flower," he grinned, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You have been granted a high blessing. One I feel we will both come to enjoy."

She closed her eyes. "As you wish… my Lord…"

She'd been thinking of kinder times.

Times when she could go outside whenever she wanted, talk to whomever she wanted, say whatever she wanted. It was true what she had heard; you never really love something until it's gone.

"What clouds your mind?"

His voice pulled her from her head, jolting as she looked down at the head resting comfortably on her lap. He smiled at her, her fingers still mindlessly stroking his hair as he had requested.

"Nothing, my lord," She said softly.

He chuckled. "It's unwise to lie to god who has mastered the talent himself." He reached up his hand and stroked her cheek, placing his hand upon her lips so she might kiss his fingers. She did so.

"If your mind is so occupied as you would keep me from believing," he hissed, a smirk clear upon his face, "Perhaps you might return to the task at hand?"

She nodded, "Yes, my Lord, as you wish."

Reaching down beside her, her fingers grasped one of the many little golden balls that had been placed in a crystal dish. Handling it with care, she unwrapped the gold from around the ball, revealing a small piece of fine chocolate. Smirking, the god opened his lips slightly as she placed the treat gently onto his mouth. He chewed quietly, saving the sweet, rich taste on his tongue. Humans had their fine points to be sure, culinary skills being one of them.

This was the existence he should have had on Asgard. Mortals serving his every whim, saving the sweetest of foods, and a figure of beauty at his side. He watched as she began to unwrap another sweet, but stopped her fingers with his own. Taking it from her, he completed the task and placed the chocolate to her lips. She opened them, taking the savory treat into her own mouth as he pressed her lips closed.

"Is this not better than the life you came from?" He asked. "Comfort, pleasure and good company." He stroked her hair. "You still mourn for the loss of your freedom. It will end, Flower. You will accept this soon enough, I promise."

He was an enigma. The strangest figure she'd ever met in her life. His mind was… to be honest, huge. He seemed to know things even the greatest minds of the world couldn't come close to figuring out. His power was terrifying. She'd witness men falling to their knees before him, begging for his forgiveness… only to end up as a pile of ash. His mood swings could be sudden and dangerous though she suspected they were not so much mood swings as they were extremely tactical moves in this game he was playing where, no matter what the outcome was, he was the winner.

Her "Lord"…. Loki. She'd only recently heard someone speak his name aloud. Everyone called him "Sir," or "Master" or even "My Lord". At one point, she wondered if he even had a name. But that name, Loki… at first, it seemed playful, light almost… but the way it sounded coming from her mouth, it was dark and vicious… and dangerous. Anyone who had the nerve to cross him would find themselves begging for death.

What confused her the most, however, was his treatment of her.

Regardless of how she might look at him or respond to his words, his voice had always been calm. Perhaps a little dangerous, but calm and contented, as though her presence was enough to state the rage within his soul. When he spoke, he only told her just enough, revealing what was on his mind, without giving her full knowledge and access to his mind. He didn't expect her to fall into the wrong hands, but he knew better than to not be prepared.

Even after… How long had it been? Weeks? A month? She couldn't remember. Time had no meaning in this place. Day and Night were distinguished only when she was allowed to sleep. But even then, whatever day it was, whatever month it was, it had all slipped by in this dark, dank cavern.

Even so, She knew almost nothing about her captor. He kept her under his gaze, refused to let anyone come near her without his allowance, treated her like the little bird she was, catching her in his hand before she could fly too far away. He rarely let her leave his sight. He took complete pleasure in knowing she was close by, something that was his… and only his.

And in return, like any treasure or object of high value, she was treated as such. Even she could not ignore that if she was no more than a pet, a pet could not have been treated better.

There was no "kindness" in Loki, nothing to be done out of the "goodness of his heart." He did what he did for his own gains, often under the guise of it being the right thing to do out of the "good of all mankind", but when it came to her, there was something in his actions beyond his own need. At Least, she thought so. It was not out of love or compassion, she could read into it that much, but she felt a gentleness in it. It made her shiver a little.

Like her "Lord", she was served only the best food that could be found and was never denied a full stomach. If she felt tired, she could lay her head in her "King's" lap and rest her eyes. On occasion, he'd stroke her hair gently, soothing her into sleep. If she shivered from the cold, he send some one to fetch a cloak for her, often one lined with soft fur. There would even be days where he'd allow her to bathe. The shimmering yellow dress was laid off to the side to be cleaned and he'd allow her to wash. He still be in the room, of course, but he'd turn his back to allow her the proper privacy granted to a Lady. She'd been a good little pet, after all, he could allow her one or two privileges. And while she did not have a room of her own exactly- her room was directly connected to Loki's and confined on all sides by concrete with the exception of one door that was constantly locked- her bed was always soft and warm with as many blankets as she pleased.

Some men spoke of her as a "treasure" Loki claimed for his own on Midgard. Some, like Loki, called her "the flower" or "the pet". Others, like the man who'd brought her to Loki, a handsome man named "Barton", never spoke of her and often reprimanded those who did.

She became some sort of forbidden secret, an essence who only existed for Loki's pleasure.

"What do you want from me?" Her voice echoed in the small room, lifting his attention away from a collection of old texts to see her, her eyes staring at a painting of a golden palace. The Kingdom of Asgard, he called it, the realm where he had been raised. When she asked him about it, he'd dismissed her, saying it was more for ascetic purposes than anything else. "Home" was not a term he cared for anymore. He smiled.

"What do you mean?" He asked, rising from his seat.

"You keep me for something," she said, feeling his presence encroach upon her. "Do it. What do you want from me? Money? Sex?"

He laughed a little, she hated when he did that. "If I wanted those things from you, flower, I would have taken them already, wether it suited you or not. But mortal money means nothing to me…" He reached out, his fingers catching her chin, directing her gaze at him. "And why would I defile your body when I know there will come a day when you shall offer yourself to me of your own will?"

She tugged her chin away, staring at him with flames in her eyes. He brushed the act aside with his hand.

"Continue to be bitter, if you wish, but I am not a man who can be pleased by trifles."

"Then what do you want from me?" She whispered, standing her ground.

"Yourself," he smiled. "Your presence. There are those upon this earth that would come instantly when called, mewling for attention… but you're no common creature are you?" He reached out, running a finger along the curve of her cheek. "I have seen the secrets in your eyes. Are you as lost as I was?"

It was the first time she'd ever broken away from him, turning her back to him in some small attempt to hide herself. She stopped before she got too far, fearing she'd angered him. Almost instantly, she felt his hands pulling her back into the strange warm of his leather coat.

"Your petals were crushed," he whispered in her ear. "By whom? Who swore to protect you and left you to the cruelty of the world?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She snapped, feeling the emotion building within. "You don't know me!"

"I know more than you claim I do," he grinned. "We all have secrets," he spun her around to face him. "But I would not ask you tell them lest I loose the joy in the hunt."

"You could have had anyone…" She whispered. "Why me?"

He grinned. "Mortals are foolish creatures. Always the first to proclaim their intelligence, only to flee the moment conflict comes into view. From the day I met you, I knew there was a different. A spark in your soul, perhaps. I am a man who enjoys a challenge and I do not keep what I do not need."

"What do you need?" She whispered as his lips moved to her ear, grazing her temple.

"A treasure. A Midgardian worthy to serve me. A little doll, made of silk and glass. Favorable company. A figure who knows her place. A spirit worth standing here now. Whichever of these you choose, it makes no difference. You are mine, flower. Every hair on your head, every inch of flesh on your body, you are mine… and one day, you shall thank me for it."

Time continued to pass, each day slowly creeping by under Loki's constant gaze. And she was left with no choice but to endure it.

As of late, she'd overheard whispers of those who were trying to stop him. The Avengers, a group of heroes sent to end Loki's continuous chaos. Loki would appear in some sector of the world, searching for… whatever he required, information at least though God forbid Loki ever tell her more than just a few playful hints at his "master plan". But every time they'd come within reach of victory, the battle would end. Loki would end up just out of reach and vanish from sight, a victorious smirk plastered across his face.

In her heart, she prayed that one day Loki would leave and return only under armored guard, a sign she would soon be free of this place, but it never came. And every day was the same. He kept her at his side, something pretty to look at in this rundown heap, allowing her out of his sight only when he had to leave for battle or a personal matter or when it was time for sleep. And even then, she was kept under armored guard, but as her "king" commanded, most of those who worked under Loki's command never spoke to her, few of them barely looked at her. Of course, no one ever got to close.

While she yearned for another to speak to her, in her heart, she understood their actions. They were contending with two elements. Loki's commands- each and every human who served under Loki was "blessed" with the touch of the Tesseract- and Loki's wrath. Every time she wished someone would speak to her, perhaps even offer her a smile, she couldn't help but recall that awful day.

"I…" The trembling man gulped, "I Swear my Lord, I had no idea-"

"I care little for your petty excuses," Loki cut him off. "This is the second time you have failed me. I have no reason to keep you in my service any more."

"No…" The man tried to back away. Two guards stopped him. "No, my Lord… have pity on me!"

"I have no pity for those who can not properly serve their king." In a flash, his sector appeared in his grasp. "Kneel and accept your fate."

"No, My King!" The man was all put in tears, it was a pitiful sight. He grabbed the edge of Loki's cloak. "My King, I shall not fail you again!"

Loki smirked, shoving the man away slightly as he lifted the scepter. "No… You will not."

The man panicked. His eyes fell upon her. The shock paralyzed her and for a split second the only sound that could be heard was the man's ragged breathing as he broke away from Loki's men, nearly throwing himself towards her, clinging to the hem of her dress.

"I beg of you, sweet lady, convince Lord Loki to-"

She threw her hands over her mouth, suppressing the scream as spear head of Loki's scepter came right through the man's chest.

Loki's face was seething. White teeth appeared almost like fangs and he snarled next to the man's ear.

"Know that I would have made your death painless," Loki snarled, twisting the staff slightly. "But you have sealed your fate in your foolish act! I'll have my men keep you alive. I will see you writhe in pain until I grow tired of the sight and when I do, your blood shall coat these walls! He turned to his guards. "Take that worthless bag of flesh out of my sight!"

She trembled as his hands released the fabric of her dress, tears shimmering in her eyes as his men dragged the men away. She gripped her mouth tighter, trying to withhold the cries burning to escape. She'd seen men beg for their lives before Loki before and her heart went out to them each and every time, but this was the first time one had cried out to her for help… and she'd been able to do nothing about it.

Loki waved his hand across his scepter, the blood vanishing instantly, leaving the metal spotless. He turned to look back at this pet, watching her trying to process what she had just seen.

"This sight is not unfamiliar to you," Loki said. He waved a few fingers over her shaking form, the blood on her dress disappeared. "And you knew what was to come."

She closed her eyes, the scene playing again and again in her mind. She felt his hands curl around her arms, squeezing them ever so slightly.

"I swore anyone who laid a hand upon you would fall at my hand," he whispered in her ear. "You know this."

"He was begging for his life," she breathed out, softly.

"How does that give him permission to touch what is not his?" Loki asked, he let his fingers run along her hair, a few more blossoms, smaller than the original, appeared in her hair, their petals opening at his touch. "And for him to beg… a coward…" He smiled. "Do not let it haunt you, flower. His fate was his own making."

His own making…. And yet the choice between a painful or painless death was all in one little action.

Yes, she'd been a "good" pet. She'd obeyed Loki's laws, knelt before him when he wished, addressed him as her "lord", came when called, the whole nine yards. She'd been good and in order to survive she would continue to be… but both she and Loki knew a truth hidden deep within her heart.

She'd never stop yearning for the freedom he denied her. Her actions would never be out of true commitment to his power or devotion to him as a person. Her appearance of obedience was continuously lined underlying twist of hate and a desire for rebellion.

It was an element about her Loki loathed… and loved at the same time. For he was a man who enjoyed a challenge… and the finest flowers were never collected without scraping through a few thorns.

Or swatting away a few "pests" that looked her way as well.

While Loki had primarily relied on Selvig to construct the portal, he knew nothing could be accomplished by one alone. He'd sent his men forth to retrieve the finest minds they could find to aid Selvig in his project. All of them refused to help without the tesseracts "persuasion."

Except for one.

There had been one mortal. A young man, only a few years older than his flower. A tall, gangly creature with light brown hair and soft brown eyes. He knelt instantly, asking only to serve Loki personally.

Loki was no fool. No mortal had willingly submitted to him before and he doubted many would do so as quickly as this man had done. He wondered if, for a moment, those little whelps at S.H.I.E.L.D. had actually found him. No, he was far too weak. And a trap could early be sniffed out.

Loki had debated wether or not to kill the young man, he but he did love bit of fun every now and then. This willing mortal might actually bring him some source of amusement. If not, well, mistakes such as these were easily rectified.

A few days later, Loki, followed closely by Agent Barton and his Pet, approached Selvig and the young mortal, asking for an update on their progress. Selvig immediately began to explain his latest additions to the device with the aid of the Tesseracts endless supply of knowledge, but the young man's eyes were drawn to something else.

For the time that he'd spent in this cavern, everything around him seemed so dark and cold, so it awed him to see someone who seemed to bare some kind of warmth. He moved towards her slightly, smiling as he cleared his throat.

"Excuse me," He whispered, catching her gaze only for a moment. She stepped back slightly, shocked that he was speaking to her. "I'm sorry. I don't think we-"

The man froze as the tip of Loki's staff came between them, the gem at the tip glowing ominously.

"There's no need for that," Loki said, looking over his shoulder at the scene with blazing eyes. "Return to your work, I've seen all I need to see today."

"Of… of course," The man swallowed, looking between the two. He turned back to the girl. "I'm sorry, I meant no harm, I-"

"I don't believe it was that difficult for you to hear me," Loki said, slowly stepping in front of the young woman. "Return to your work." He turned to leave, motioning for the girl to follow him. She looked back at the young man sadly before following in Loki's steps.

The young man stared, his eyes never leaving her as she walked away.

"Who…" He turned back to Selvig. "Who is that-"

"You're really pushing your luck, kid," Selvig called up from his notes. "You wanna stay alive? Keep your mind where it belongs, on this." He pointed to the device.

"But…" He looked back, catching a glimpse of her yellow dress as she followed Loki into the darkness. "Who is she? I've never-"

"She's none of your damn business, boy," Selvig said again. "And After that, you're lucky to still be breathing. Now get back to work and keep that girl out of your head!"

He moved back over to the machine, continuing his calculations, but the image of that girl with the flowers… it wouldn't leave him alone.

Though Selvig's words continued to ring in his mind, the imagine of that girl would not leave him alone. On some level, he wasn't quite sure why. Yes, she was pretty, but there were plenty of pretty girl's out there, and she certainly wasn't a "picturesque" beauty like the ladies who posed in lingerie catalogues. She was more like an earthly beauty, someone with a kindness in her face. Perhaps it was the dress, even if was very out of place around here, but there was something more.

Unlike everyone else he saw in this place, her eyes had a soft natural color, not the otherworldly blue everyone else bore. She wasn't under Loki's power ether. So what would someone like her be doing down here?

For that matter, how had she survived for so long?

He figured anyone who had remained here for so long would have fallen to Loki's whim ages ago, so why did she still seem to stand on her own?

He's tried to find out more about her, whispered her appearance to others in the hopes of finding out her name. Often he was ether met with silence or threatened. No one told him anything.

And it only made him want to know more.

Out of all the people under his power, there was only one Loki came close to trusting.

Clint Barton had been the first mortal to fall to the Tesseract's power and his devotion to his "master" had been nothing short of perfection. Every order, every command was executed exactly as Loki planed. Clint had yet to fail him and Loki planed to keep it that way.

Clint was also the only human being Loki trusted with the safety of his Flower.

He'd never worried about having Clint keep an eye on the girl while he was away. Like many agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Clint was obedient to the core and would sooner walk on broken glass than lay a hand upon something Loki held dear. In addition, Loki knew the deepest secrets of his servant's heart. Though he'd yet to make it clear, Clint's love and devotion belonged to another woman. A beautiful little vixen with a fine bite . When such love like that ran through a man's heart, Loki knew even the most beautiful women of Asgard would not draw his gaze. Any attention he might give to his Lord's flower was in the sole interest of protecting her.

And as of right now, protection, particularly from unwanted parties, was needed.

"Miss."

She jumped a little at the sound of the strict voice, turning her head away from the book she'd been reading. She stood quickly as Agent Barton entered, closing the door behind him quietly. One of the many rooms Loki had chosen to add to his little base was a library, stocked with some of the finest books money could buy. Whenever he was gone, she was allowed to spend as much time there as she wished. Under locked doors and guards, of course.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," he said, bowing his head slightly in respect. "But I need a minute of your time."

She swallowed. She wouldn't deny that she was a little intimidated by Agent Barton, a man who's devotion and skill in combat seemed endless. She'd seen people tried to escape him, only to leave with less than what they'd arrived with. It made her cringe to think of it. She was grateful, however, that he'd never made any move to cause her any harm. In fact, he was the only person in this place she actually liked to see. He never said all that much to her, but there was a quality about him she liked, a softness hidden away by Loki's power. She wondered sometimes if he'd not been trapped by Loki's power, would he possibly be someone she'd call a friend?

"Of course," she said softly. She sat back down, gesturing to the chair beside her. "You can sit if you want."

"I'll stand, miss, thank you." He said as he lifted his head, locking his eyes with her. "Miss, a little while ago you were approached by a young man working with Professor Selvig. Had you ever met him before?"

Out of all the questions to be asked, she certainly hadn't expected that one. She hadn't even thought about that encounter for some time. "I… no. No, I've never seen him before."

"Not at all?" He pressed again, his eyes burrowing into her's like a falcon search for its next kill.

"I wish he was," she thought to herself. "It would be nice to see a kind face once in a while."

"I don't know anyone here." She said, her voice soft but true. "I'm the stranger here, not him."

Barton blinked. He gave her small smile. "Thank you, miss." He turned to leave.

"Agent Barton!" She called, stepping forward, stopping him in his tracks. "Loki, he's… he's told you things he hasn't told me."

"There's not much I can tell you, miss."

"I just need to know one thing," She whispered. "How long does he plan to keep me like this?"

Barton stood silent for a moment.

"If he has his way?" He asked.

"Yes."

"…Forever." He knocked on the door, signaling for the guards to let him out. "If that boy approaches you again, tell me. I'll make sure doesn't bother you any more."

He left without another word, the door closing and locking behind him. She clenched the book tighter to her chest, the horror creeping into her heart.

She thought back to that man. It had happened, what, a week ago? Maybe? Why would Barton be asking her about it now? She recalled how kind that man's face had been. How warmly he'd looked at her.

Affection wasn't something that could be carved out in a split second of time. Though God knows, she wished it could be.

"Henry Remington?"

Henry lifted his head, looking up slowly as Agent Barton walked into the room. Selvig poked his head up.

"Heh, what's he done now?"

"I just need a word with him," Barton said, approaching the young man.

Selvig looked back down at his notes. "Am I gonna get him back in one piece?"

"That depends on how he responds." Barton said, looking the smaller man over.

Selvig looked up at his aid. "Tell him what he wants to hear." He said. "I still need you in this."

Henry swallowed, turning to face the assassin. With one hand, he started to close one of the journals he kept with him at all times. Clint stopped him, flipping the book open, looking down at the page.

On it was a sketch of a young woman. She sat still, her hands folded, her face skyward, as though searching for something. The dress flowed around her gently. Henry swallowed as Barton ripped the page from the journal, looking at it closer.

"It's a good representation," He said. "Do you have a death wish?"

Henry's eyes darted away for a moment. "Wanting to know about someone isn't a death wish."

"Around here it is. You're here for one reason and one reason only, Remington, and these little stunts you're pulling aren't funny."

"I haven't done anything."

"Look around you, kid. You see any difference between you and everyone else here?"

Henry swallowed. One of only two people in this place not under Loki's power… and he wasn't the one currently in Loki's favor, it seemed.

Clint leaned in close. "This is your last warning, you little shit." He snapped softly. "If you so much as whisper about her, you can be sure I'll hear it. And I promise you, you won't see the arrow coming." He ripped up the drawing, throwing the pieces into a nearby wastebasket as he started to leave.

"Just tell me her name."

Barton turned around. "It's your lucky day, I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that."

"What, she doesn't have a name?" Henry asked, his anger starting to rise.

"Watch it, kid!" Selvig called up, his attention drawn to the scene.

"She's not your business, kid, she doesn't belong to you." Barton returned.

"She's a human being, Barton! She doesn't belong to him, she doesn't belong to anybody!" Henry snapped. "Stop talking about her like she's some kind of pet!"

"Who is this "pet" we're speaking of?"

The room grew silent. Several of Selvig's assistants backed away, other's left as he entered the room, his eyes first drawn to the improvements made upon the portal. He gave a rather pleased smile at Selvig before turning back to the young man.

Henry swallowed. The last time he saw Loki was when... he'd first seen her. He'd seen Loki only previously before that, but never like this. Never in full armor.

Loki smiled at him before looking over at the waste basket. He waved his hand, the pieces of the sketch coming back together, joined by his magic. Henry stayed frozen as Loki reviewed the sketch.

"A lovely rendering of her," He said softly. "One wonders what she's searching for. Agent Barton," he called to his second-in-command. "Is this what Midgardian's call "Puppy Love?" He asked. "Love for someone barely known to them?"

"It's most often called stupidity, sir," Barton responded. "Or in most cases, lust."

"I see," Loki smiled. "Do you lust after her, Mr. Remington?"

Henry looked at the drawing. "I just wanted to know who she was."

"Why should that concern you?" Loki asked.

Henry looked up at Loki. Originally, he'd been stupid. Originally he'd heard of this… god who'd come to earth and he wanted to see if it was true. He'd dreamed of things like this. He wanted to know of the worlds that existed beyond his own. But when the truth came out, he hated himself for his choice. He'd fallen for such a simple, stupid trap.

And then he saw her. The girl in the yellow dress. And he saw the same lost expression in her eyes, but there had been something deeper there. Something that went past Henry's foolishness. She hadn't fallen for a trap, she'd been brought here.

He wondered if he'd be able to save himself from this fate he'd walked in to of his own stupidity. But if he couldn't save himself, he'd save her.

"Because out of all the other people here," Henry swallowed, "She's the only one who still has a soul. The only one of us who looks ashamed to stand in your presence and maybe the only one strong enough to make you look like a fool. And you keep her on a leash like a prized dog because you can't stand the thought of someone showing you for the monster you really-"

Loki's hand around his throat was like a vice, but the demigod before him wasn't even breaking a sweat. He smiled, watching the terror on the man's face grow by the second, the thin bones around the man's neck on the verge of cracking.

"Doctor Selvig," Loki spoke. "How close is the portal to completion."

"About three days, sir." Selvig spoke.

"And would you have any reason for keeping this… mortal to aid you?"

There was silence before Selvig spoke. "He knows what he's doing, sir… I'd like to keep him around."

Loki released the young man from his grasp, watching him crumple to the floor.

"Agent Barton," Loki spoke as Clint stepped forward, ignoring the young man's ragged breathes. "See this man is kept on task. The moment his work is complete, kill him."

"Yes, sir." Clint said, his fingers almost itching for his bow.

"You… won't win…" Henry called. Loki paused in his step. He looked back over his shoulder at the man. "You'll… you'll be stopped!"

"Agent Barton." Loki spoke again. "I tire of the noises he makes."

"What would you have be do, sir?"

Loki smiled, using his magic to summon a dagger. "If he speaks again," Loki threw the dagger at Barton's feet. "Cut out his tongue."

She closed the book softly, looking up as the door opened once more. Loki entered only a moment later, his golden armor vanishing as the door closed behind him. She rose from her seat, lowing her head slightly.

"Hello, my lord," she said softly.

Loki raised an eyebrow at her voice. This greeting sounded far too rehearsed.

"I leave you for a day, flower, and this is how I am to be greeted?" Loki clicked his tongue. "One might think you were not happy to see me return." He held out his hand for hers, eyes narrowing when she did not accept it right away. Eventually however, she moved forward, placing her hand in his.

"What troubles you, my dear?" He asked, pulling her closer, the fingers of his other hand gently caressing the skin of her knuckles.

"I was curious about something," she said, not looking him in the eye.

"Tell me," he said. "Perhaps I might put your mind at rest."

She looked up at him. "Can someone who's human be granted immortality?"

Loki's eyes locked with hers, angered ever so slightly as she broke from his grasp, stepping away.

"Why would such a thought occur to you?" He asked, watching her every step.

"Humans age and die," she said, walking back to one of the many bookshelves. She returned her previous book and searched for a new one. Picking up a new title, she skimmed the opening page.. "I don't think you want an old, crumbling flower at your side."

"I don't think I particularly like your tone, pet." Loki's eyes narrowed.

Her eyes shot up, meeting Loki's with burning hatred. "I don't particularly like being your pet, Loki." She snapped, his name dripping out of her mouth like venom. She turned away, only to scream as he appeared behind her. The book dropped to the floor as he grasped her arms, refusing to release her. He smiled as she tried to jerk away.

"Is this what I am to gain?" He asked softly, too softly. His voice froze her to the core. "I go far and beyond what I should to see that you are cared for. I feed you," He released one of her arms, reaching up to run his fingers through her hair, "I keep you safe and warm." His fingers crept along her cheek, curling under her chin. "And all I gain in return... is a thankless pet." His grip grew harsh as he stared at her, pain and fear starting to come to her eyes.

"I know you to be a far more intelligent mortal than most of these fools, girl, so what would bring you to such a state where you'd dare challenge me? I'd expect such foolishness from the rest of these pathetic, whimpering sacks of flesh. But you…" He chuckled a little. "You always knew when to hold your tongue. So what would bring such a docile creature as you to bite? Was it that boy?" He pulled her up, her body almost standing on tip toe. Loki chuckled slightly. "Do you believe his actions to come from love?"

"If they do," she hissed. "I know he loves me more than you do!" Loki's eyes turned to daggers. He shoved her down, her body hitting several of the stairs that lead to the upper level of the library. She tried to push herself up, groaning as her arms ached, but Loki's speed far exceeded her own. His hands pinned her down, almost driving her flesh into the polished wood.

"'Love.'" He spat. "It's truly shameful how you mortals throw around the word "love". The way your race craves it, begs for it… even lowers itself to pay for it." His sharp, icy breath almost stung her face. "What claim have you to his 'love'?"

"There are many forms of love, Loki," She hissed back at him. "Some of them are subtler than others! And one of them isn't locking someone you claim to care about in cage!"

Silence. Very slowly, Loki's lips twisted into a smile.

"Locked in a cage?" He whispered. "Yes. Locked in a golden cage… and you still crave your freedom, do you not?" He looked up for a moment in mock thought, "How does that mortal saying go? "If I love you, I should let you go?" That's right, yes? I should let you go. Back to the world you claim to love." He leaned closer. "Back to a world of death and chaos. Back to a world of lies and promises never to be achieved. Back to a world where one man might claim to love you, then once he has your body, you are nothing to him. Back to a world where you are given only a crumb of what you are truly due! If I 'loved' you, I would release you to that world?" Loki's smile grew darker, his grip harsher. "No. No, you shall never receive such "love" from me. If that is what you mortals believe "love" to be then I shall smite such a pitiful concept for I shall never give you such 'love'." His grip grew even tighter, his eyes locking with her's, refusing to release her. His voice darkened into a malicious growl.

"If you believe love to be freedom, I will see you are kept in chains. If you believe love to be sustenance, I will see that you starve. I grow weary of this insolent idea of "love" you perpetuate. I am your god! I am your king and wether or not I feel any love towards you is inconsequential because you are bound to me. You are bound to obey me, serve me!" He leaned down to her ear, "and if I wish for it, you are bound to truly love me for eternity!" He snarled.

The fear washed over her like a wave, freezing her in place as he released her. His face was no longer twisted with anger, but with some kind of satisfaction. He ran his fingers along her arms, riding her of any bruises she might have gained. He smiled down at her.

"And you should know…" He lifted his hand to her head, allowing it to run tenderly through her hair till it came to one of the smaller yellow blossoms woven into her soft, light- brown locks. He plucked it from her hair, sticking it carefully in the pocket of his tunic. "I do wish for it." He rose, walking away from her as she started to pull herself up.

"You may remain here or return to your chamber if you wish," Loki said. "I will send for you in due time," He looked over his shoulder at her. "And I expect you shall come when called?"

Slowly, she nodded, not a single word spoken. She closed her eyes, not wanting to show the fear within them. Normally, Loki would not have tolerated such foolishness… but his little flower was still obviously shaken. He could allow her this.

She rose to her feet, slowly moving to the shelves and collecting two more books in her arms. She gripped them tightly, like a child clinging to a toy after a nightmare. "I'd like to return to my room." She said softly. Loki grinned.

"Of course, my flower." He gestured for her to follow him. The two left the library with nothing more said between them. They continued down the hall until they came to Loki's chambers; a beautiful room crafted from green silk and gold. A bedchamber perfected for a king, touched off with a desk, several fine armchairs and his own bathroom. A room off to the side led to the girl's chamber. It was a smaller room, but comfortable enough for one. He unlocked the door and allowed her to enter. Normally, he would have left her with a kiss on the cheek or a caress, but he knew she would flinch away this time. It was of little matter to him. He closed the door and locked her in. He had his own matters to deal with.

Henry never understood Barton's nickname until now. Hawkeye. Every time he looked up and saw those piercing eyes staring down at him, he couldn't help but look away. He wheezed for breath, Loki's grip having left a mark, but he continued to do his job. Often now, he paused, if only for a second before Barton caught on. He wondered if he should just accept the hand he'd created for himself. Just accept death and slow Loki down.

He didn't matter any more. He had to do whatever he could to stall the god of Mischief.

But if he was dead, there was no way he could do anything to help her.

He slammed his hand down angrily, drawing a look from Barton but little more.

"You got yourself into this," Barton shrugged. "You've got no one to blame but yourself."

"Don't remind me…" Henry whispered.

"If you'd spent more time on your job than on that girl you'd be fine."

"How do you know?" Henry asked.

Barton didn't respond.

"How do you know you're gonna be all right after this is all over. How do you know Loki isn't gonna feed you to the wolves when this is done and he doesn't need you anymore!?"

Barton didn't even blink. "If he does, that's his priority. Get back to work."

Henry sighed, turning back to the device. A day gone, only two more to go.

Henry had always taken an interest in the unknown. Even as a child, he'd always taken such an interest in the stories about worlds beyond and new discoveries. That's why he'd always liked science so much. So many people found science to be set and defined, but Henry always looked to it as a gateway. While the science they had on earth was set and defined, whose to say it couldn't find a path to something more. Science had already created Super Soldiers, Armored warriors and… Well, even he'd heard about Dr. Bruce Banner's accident. Whose to say it couldn't go even further? Beyond the stars, beyond human imagination.

Henry's father always supported his dreams. Hell, he'd even hoped to see such worlds himself. His mother had always called him foolish and even on the day he graduated with his Masters, she'd still joked about his "childhood ideas".

He'd sworn to prove her wrong.

On their first encounter, Loki had promised him the ability to see other worlds, to encounter things no mortal had ever beheld. He'd given him a simple taste with the sight of Asgard and Henry had yearned for more. He swore complete dedication to Loki's project, but he had requested only to be free of the Tesseracts power. Loki had doubted such a request from the start. No control over his workers meant things could turn very ugly, very quickly. But the boy didn't seem to be too much of a threat and and games were always fun, especially games he knew he could win.

Henry had kept in line. He'd obeyed Loki's every command and request. How could it be that one person pull him away from that? Mild infatuation didn't drive a person to do the things he'd done, push the boundaries he had.

The more he pondered, the more he thought back to that sketch he'd done… seeing her looking up at the sky. In his mind, he wondered if she had been searching for something too. If she'd been looking to some other world or dream. But she'd been in reality…

He'd seen something in her that day, a light of hope within this dreary place.

"Barton!" Selvig called out. "He wants to see you."

Barton nodded. "What about him?"

"I can keep an eye on him for a bit," Selvig said. "He's not going anywhere."

"Make sure he doesn't," Barton said. "I'll be back soon."

"Sir?"

Loki's eyes moved away from the text on the old scroll before him as he turned to see Clint standing at the door.

"You called for me, sir?"

He smiled. "Yes. Please come in." He motioned for Clint to enter, the door closing slowly behind him as he did. Loki returned to the open parchments laid out carefully across the table, his eyes scanning long dead languages with ease. He picked a small bottle off a near-by shelf and removed the cork, added something to a strange cauldron before him. "Any word from our dear Mr. Remington?"

"He hasn't made a sound since you left, sir," Clint said, watching Loki's movements diligently. "I think he'd prefer to keep his tongue for now."

"Mortals are often so brave until those in power step forward." Loki collected a small crystal-like stone in his hand, coiling his fingers around it till it was crushed into a fine white powder. "Only then do they scurry away like beaten dogs." He let the powder fall into the simmering basin, his hand free of any injury. Clint's eyes turned to the cauldron, beholding the violet liquid glowing inside it.

"Sir?" He asked. Loki didn't respond. Leaning down slightly, he lifted his hand to gently waft the whispy steam from the cauldron to his nose. He inhaled deeply, smiling at the result. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the single yellow blossom. He twirled it slightly before allowing it to drop into the liquid, the violet color now an almost sickly orange.

"There are very strict rules in Asgard regarding the relations of a mortal and a god, Agent Barton." He looked over at the handsome man. "I take it you are not aware of this."

"No, sir, I wasn't." He said. Loki grinned.

"On Asgard, it is forbidden for a god to take a mortal lover. The loss for both would be too great when death came to tear them apart. Such laws however, did not prevent many from taking human lovers… only to be maddened by fear and loss when age came to claim them."

Loki flexed his fingers, summoning one of his daggers to his hand.

"In a rage, many tried to find a way to bring their lovers back from Hel, but such foolishness led to only more pain." He pressed the dagger into his hand, a small amount of blood began to pool in his palm.

"There is no way to raise the dead," he turned his hand over, allowing the blood to drop into the liquid, the caustic orange now an icy-blue. The cut in the palm of his hand closed instantly. "But there is a way to shield the living from the hand of death."

Barton looked down at the liquid."The fountain of youth?" He asked. Loki chuckled.

"No, dear Barton." He dipped a small vial into the cauldron, allowing it to fill to the brim before placing a cork at the top. "A binding contract. A promise that two lives shall be forever sustained by one continuously beating heart." He waved his hand, the cauldron vanishing before their eyes.

"Go and fetch the boy, bring him to my chambers. I'll put an end to this foolishness once and for all." He raised the vial to the light, watching the liquid glimmer inside. "Let him speak as boldly as he wishes… for the moment this passes her lips, she is mine and mine alone."

She jumped slightly as the door opened without a single knock, allowing Loki to enter with little more than a smile. She pushed herself off her bed and put the book the had been reading aside, watching him carefully. She still remembered the short-lived bruises on her arms.

In his hand, Loki delicately carried two items. One was a small goblet, crafted from gold and glass. The other was a rather small bottle of wine, only a glass's worth. He placed the two items on the small bedside table he'd allowed in her room and turned back to her.

"If it is any consolation," he began. "I'd like to ask for your forgiveness for my behavior this afternoon."

Already he could see the worry in her eyes. Good Girl. She knew better than to believe he would ever apologize to anyone. He uncorked the wine and poured half of the contents into the goblet.

"I would like to make amends," he said, offering the glass out to her. "This is one of the finest wines of Asgard, served only to the All-father and his family. I've heard those who sample it on Midgard experience tastes beyond their wildest dreams and I've often seen how much you enjoy fine foods."

She looked at the liquid, her mind racing to figure out his next move. "No… No, thank you."

He raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"I don't drink wine that much…" She said carefully. "I never liked the taste."

Loki smiled. "A pity," he said, taking a small sip from the glass, licking his lips as he recalled the fine banquets he had once attended. He waved his other hand. "But I can not force it upon you." He placed the glass down, keeping it in plan sight. "In truth, I've come to speak to you of other maters. You asked me a question earlier today and I never gave you an answer. The answer is yes."

"Yes?" She looked thoroughly confused.

"Mortals can be granted immortality… to an extent."

The door opened again, revealing Agent Barton and Henry Remington. A broken and battered Henry Remington with two armored guards keeping him upright. Her face fell instantly at the sight of his bruised and bloodied neck. They dragged him in, closing the door behind them. Instinctively, she tried to reach Henry, but Barton stepped in front of him, cutting off contact. She looked back at Loki, watching him draw a small vial from his pocket, the icy-blue liquid inside holding her gaze.

Loki smiled. "I was speaking to Agent Barton earlier about Asgardians who took mortal lovers against wiser advice. They sought many methods to keep those they cherished alive. Of course, many tired and many failed, but there was one man who thought differently. We can not keep age and death from mortals, but we can prolong it's coming."

"How?" She whispered.

"Through ourselves." He displayed the vial carefully. "A young sorcerer once discovered a formula he named "Adligamentum Animus". Through it, the life of one can be joined to the life of another. In simpler terms, as long as one lives, the other shall live as well. When one dies, the other shall die. But so long as one remains alive, the other shall live… as young and as fine a flower as the day they first met."

Henry struggled to Loki's words, desperate to move, but the guards kept him still. They both watched as Loki returned to the goblet. Uncorking the vial, he poured the contents into the glass, watching as the wine turned an eerie purple. He lifted the glass, turning back to his flower.

"You foolishly cherish a world that has a false ideal of love," Loki smiled. "I plan to erase such an ideal and show you what love really is." He held out the goblet to her. "Drink from this glass, little flower. Bind your soul to mine and live in eternity," he flicked his other hand. The guards lifting their guns to Henry's head. "And I will spare his life."

!*!*!*!**!

"Don't..." Henry managed to hiss out, struggling against the guards. "Don't give him what he-" He grunted as he was shoved to the floor, a foot making contact with his stomach. Several drops of blood fell to the floor.

"NO!" She screamed, trying to get to him. "Stop it! Don't-"

"Restrain her."

It was the only time Loki had ever allowed anyone else to touch his flower. Barton grabbed her arms, his strength superior to hers as she thrashed in his grip to no avail. Loki made no attempt to move, smiling softly as his flower's adorable attempts to squirm out of Barton's grasp.

"How long he must suffer is dependent on you flower," Loki said, his voice deceptively kind. He held out the glass again. "Drink and immortality is yours. You gain life eternal and his freedom. Of course, if you'd prefer a mortal existence," He motioned to one of the guards who placed his gun to Henry's temple. "I'll not deny you that."

Her eyes went to the goblet, darting between Henry and it several times. If she drank from there she'd be bound to Loki's life force until his death. If he ever actually died! He'd be a part of her forever.

Or she could live a mortal and send an innocent man to his death.

Never.

She looked back at the goblet before lifting her gaze to Loki's. She nodded slightly. "I'll do it."

"No!" Henry cried. "You mustn't-"

"Enough!" Loki roared. "You'll speak no more, you-" He raised his free hand to strike Henry.

"You can't hurt him!"

Loki paused. All eyes turned to her.

"I'll drink it!" She said, her breath sharp and quick. "I'll drink it but you can't hurt him! You or your men! That's the deal. You leave him alone, I'll go with you."

Loki's anger faded into a smile once more. "Such decisions are not to be made by you, my dear."

"Do it and I'll obey you!" The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Both Henry and Loki stared.

"Whatever you want," She trembled. "I'll obey you. Hell, I won't even speak unless you command it, but please leave him alone!" She said, ignoring the tears coming to her eyes.

Even Barton's expression turned to one of disbelief. What she was offering was beyond foolish. Complete control for the life of one man she hardly knew? All to spare his life?

For that moment, Henry believed himself to be in a dream. How could she be so willing to save him?

"I don't know how many people I've seen die," she said. "People cowering in fear for their lives, people who "failed" you, people who-" The words "because of your bitterness" rang in her mouth. She wanted to spit them at Loki, but for the sake of the young man before her, she couldn't. "-who wished to be free of this place! I've even seen people die because of me. I won't let it happen again."

Loki's eyes went from her to Henry, a spark shimmering in his gaze. She was offering a great deal in exchange for allowing this whelp to live, he'd be a fool not to take the little bird who'd flown so willingly into his trap. After all, her words were easy enough to twist. Henry shook his head violently.

"As you wish," Loki said. "I shall keep my end of the bargain. But first," he approached her once more, presenting the goblet to her. "You must fulfill yours."

She looked at the glass. Feeling Barton release her arms, she reached out and took the goblet from Loki's hands. Her fingers enclosed around the cool metal, the liquid inside making it feel chill.

"Wait!" Henry breathed. "Please, what is your name?"

"Have you no end of-"

"Ellie."

The room fell silent once again, all eyes turned to the girl in the yellow dress.

"My name isn't "flower"." Her eyes linked with Henry's before turning to Loki. "It's Ellie."

She looked down at the goblet. Taking a deep breath, she lifted it to her lips and swallowed the contents.

Henry lowered his head in shame, looking up only when he heard the sound of glass shattering.

He watched her body begin to tremble, unable to comprehend the new element inside her. She gripped her head in pain, her breaths becoming quick and shallow.

"Ellie! Ellie, you have to fight it!" Henry cried out, only to be silenced as one of Loki's men tied a gag around his mouth. He screamed as he saw her collapse into Loki's arms, her body still trembling. Loki gathered her carefully in his arms, his eyes never leaving her face.

"She is mine."

"Sir?" Barton moved forward slightly. "Is she…"

"It is the result of her body being in conflict with the formula. It will take time to settle properly."

Already her skin was beginning to pale, sweat formed on her brow. Loki lifted her from the ground, laying her carefully down upon her bed as he drew a blanket over her. He looked back at the horrified Henry, the same twisted light in his eye. He leaned down beside the girl, brushing a fallen lock of hair from her eyes before softly enclosing his lips around hers. A kiss to secure her as his own, a secret kept between a waking king and a sleeping maiden. Henry wept at the sight.

When he eventually pulled away, making sure she was resting as comfortably as possible, he turned to Agent Barton.

"Have one of your men with her at all times. No one goes near her but myself."

"Yes, sir," Barton nodded. "And the boy?"

Loki chuckled. "I swore to my flower neither I nor my men would ever lay hand on him again. But I'm sure you can find several men outside of my jurisdiction to deal with him, can you not, Agent Barton?"

"Yes, sir," He motioned for his men to pull the heartbroken man away, still struggling. Loki approached them, looking down at the man.

"Your concern is no longer necessary," He said. "She is now and forever in the care of her king." He waved his hand. "Take him away."

Henry's muffled screams filled the room, watching as Ellie remained on her bed, her breath slowing to raspy gasps.

" I have to admit, Dr. Banner," Agent Coulson looked back at his companion as the restaurant door closed, placing his wallet back in his pocket. "I never pegged you as a sushi man."

Bruce adjusted his glasses slightly, hiding his laugh as he slung his book bag over his shoulder. "Well, I don't get to eat out much so I figured I might as well try something new."

"Would you like to go back?" Coulson pulled out his cellphone, ready to send for the car he'd had parked down the street.

Banner laughed. "I think next time I'll stick with a nice salad and…" Bruce's sentence slowly trailed off, looking ahead into a near-by alley way.

"Dr. Banner?" Coulson came beside him, looking at the scene himself. A rather burly man was carrying a large bag over his shoulder and even for his size, the weight seemed to be a lot for him. The man flipped the lid of a near-by dumpster open and tossed it in before turning and going back inside.

"Hang on." Watching for traffic, Bruce started off across the street to the alley, Coulson quick on his tail.

"What's going on, Dr. Banner?"

"Gut feeling," Banner said, approaching the large bin. "Help me get the lid off."

The two men quickly heaved together, lifting the lid up to see inside. The bag rested on top of other mounds of trash. Bruce stared at it for a moment, sweat starting to form on his brow.

"That's too big for-"

"HEY!"

Both men dropped the lid, looking to see the burly looking man return. "What the hell do you think your doing?"

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step back-" Coulson started as the man approached, reaching for his badge.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The man snapped, shoving Coulson back.

"Don't touch him."

Both men turned back to Bruce. He'd lowered the lid on the dumpster, his breathing starting to get strangely rapid.

"Don't touch him like that." Bruce warned.

"What the fuck is your problem?" The man approached him, a good two feet taller than Bruce.

"I don't like it when people hurt my friends. It makes me angry."

"Piss off, you little shit-" The man said, shoving Bruce back into a nearly stack of trash bags.

"Sir, I wouldn't-"

A massive roar erupted from the pile of trash. Coulson stepped back, clearing himself from the path of the gigantic figure approaching the suddenly very tiny man.

Bruce picked up the remains of his shredded clothes as Coulson placed one final call into S.H.I.E.L.D. He re-adjusted his glasses and smiled sheepishly at Coulson once he got off the phone.

"Grounded?"

"Safety procedure," Coulson said, picking up the doctor's fallen book bag and retrieving the spare pants and shirt inside. He tossed them to Bruce. "You acted in my defense. Director Fury's giving leeway on this one."

"No more nights out?" Bruce asked, half-jokingly as he re-dressed.

"He's willing to pay for take out."

Bruce manager a small smile before the two went back over to the bin, lifting the lid once again. Bruce reached in to grab the bag, pulling his hand away almost instantly.

"Doctor-"

"It's warm." He looked back at Coulson. Not another word passed between them as they pulled the bag from the large bin, tearing it open. Coulson stepped back, Bruce's face turned white.

The body inside was that of a young man, barely recognizable to anyone who'd known him before. HIs face was bashed, bruised and soaked with blood. His hair was caked with dirt and his skin was now more yellow and blue than any other color. Bruce kept his stomach in check as he spoke.

"Organized crime?" He asked.

"Looks like it," Coulson said, pulling out his phone once again. "Too careless."

"What?"

"Having someone dump the body in plain sight, it's-"

"…save…"

"Oh my God!" Bruce nearly screamed, causing Coulson to drop his cellphone. "Coulson, this guy's still alive!"

Coulson went for his phone yet again, informing S.H.I.E.L.D. to send a medical team in as well.

"…Ellie…" The young man breathed, looking up as Dr. Banner, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Don't move," Bruce said, as sternly as he could, trying to shove some of the garbage away to make the young man more comfortable. Moving him in this state was too much of a risk. "Just keep still, the paramedics-"

"Loki…"

Bruce paused, that name sending shivers down his spine.

"Please… save Ellie."

The young man's eyes closed. He did not open them again.


	2. Chapter 2

"Name?" Director Fury looked over to Agent Maria Hill.

"Computer I.D.'d him as "Henry Remington," Maria said, flashing a picture up on a screen to the eight people standing around the table, herself included. "Top of his class at Berkeley, working there since 2010."

"Guy gets employed by Berkeley, what the hell is he doin' in New York?" A voice spoke up as all eyes went to the brown-haired man sitting at the end of the table, deeply involved in his own rendition of the iPhone.

"We've yet to find an answer to that, Mr. Stark, all though I think we'd be a little more productive if you actually participated in this meeting."

"Yeah, just hang on."

"Universities nowadays have connected programs, don't they?" A Young blonde-haired man spoke up, looking at the picture on the screen. "His professors-"

"We already checked," A beautiful red-haired woman added her voice to the group. "He was supposed to be on campus since June, but he's been MIA for two months now."

"A loss of life is a terrible thing," A blonde, long-haired man said, his voice dominating over the others. "And murder is foul, but I question what this man has to do with us?"

"Two things," Fury began. "One, he mentioned the name-"

"Ellie Conner," Tony Stark stood up, pressing a few more keys on his phone, flashing a picture of a young woman with light brown hair and brown eyes up on the screen. "I had J.A.R.V.I.S. run a check on recent missing persons. Found only one recent case under the name "Ellie." Civilian. Visual arts major, just graduated from MICA. Her parent's filed her in Missing Persons two months ago, give or take a few days. Looks like she vanished around the same time Henry took off."

"That's not all." Fury continued. "Before his death, Henry mentioned her life might be in danger."

"From whom?" The red-haired woman asked.

Director Fury looked right at the long haired-blond. "Your brother."

The whole room went silent.

"That…" The man shook his head. "That makes no sense, why would Loki-"

"You heard Agent Romanoff, he's already got 80 down, what's another-"

"Mr. Stark-" Fury cut him off. "That will do for now."

"What about this Henry guy?" The other blonde haired man spoke up. "If he was working for Loki how do we-"

"I can answer that, Captain Rogers." Agent Coulson stood up. "With your permission, of course."

Steve Rogers nodded at the older man to continue. Despite the situation, everyone could see Coulson beaming.

"Henry Remington's death was an set-up. NYPD have already arrested two men in direct connection with the murder, but the way he was killed points an obvious finger at a member of a New York crime family. I'm guessing he was supposed to take the fall."

"How do you know it was a set-up?" Dr. Banner asked.

"The disposal of the body was so sloppy, it was obvious they wanted him to be found so long as the finger would be pointed in the other direction." Agent Coulson said. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is familiar with the family they were trying to frame."

"How is that?" The long-haired man asked.

"We've had an agent watching them for some time."

Natasha closed her eyes. "Clint."

Coulson nodded. "Our men were able to talk to the suspects while in custody," he continued. "Turns out they didn't exactly run into Mr. Remington on the streets of New York."

"Where'd he pop up from?" Tony Stark asked.

"Germany."

"Then that is where Loki must be," the blonde haired man stood up, his strength nearly shaking the table. "And this young woman as well."

"Thor's right," Steve stood up. "It's a weak lead, but its the best we've got."

"Henry died asking us to save Ellie," Bruce said softly. "Thor… can you think of any reason your brother would need her?"

Thor stared at the group, searching his brain for some form of explanation. "My brother has never felt anything towards mortals apart from believing himself to be superior to them… what he wants with this girl… I don't know."

"What would any psycho want with a woman?" Tony said, almost bitterly.

"Stark," Thor growled, "If you are-"

"Think whatever you want Thor," Tony snapped. "But your brother has done a lot of damage and it doesn't look like he's gonna stop anytime soon. We should get to Germany before this girl or anyone else is a part of it."

To anyone else, Ellie looked to be at death's door. Her skin had paled to a sickly white, sweat dripped from her brow, and her body seemed to retain only enough energy to breathe.

To Loki, it was the start of her metamorphosis. Now bound to his life force, nothing but his own death could take her from this earth. But this new presence in her body was a harsh shock to her system. Her heart still pumped blood through her body, but it was no longer the central force of her being alive. A new element to the composition of her form, it would have been a shock to even another Asgardian. In truth, Loki was amazed that she'd been progressing as well as she was. In a few days time, no mortal illness or injury could ever claim her life again. Her body would heal from even the most horrific of accidents, baring in mind that all her limbs could be found.

For now, she could do little more than rest in a fitful sleep.

When not checking in on Selvig or Barton, Loki stayed with her, watching her transformation. Every now, he'd drape another blanket over her and bring her a little water to drink, though she'd barely swallow more than a mouthful at the time.

Strange how even like this, even weak and trembling, she was such a lovely flower. Who knew such a being could be found on Midgard?

Loki could have had any mortal servant he wanted on Midgard and often he knew there were those who quietly wondered why this girl had gained such favor with the soon-to-be king of Midgard. Looks? Intelligence? The dress.

No, it was her soul. The soul that had not crumbled under his command, the soul that had fought and won against the power of the gem in his staff, the soul that -while careful with how often she used such action- still fought against him every now and then.

And yet, he still knew so little of her. Perviously, it didn't matter. She was a pretty little thing with a good mind and, on the right occasion, a sharp tongue and oh how he loved that but it was not necessary to know her past. But now, now that her fate lay with him and him alone, perhaps it was time to find out more of this little Midgardian treasure he'd found. Her life before him, where that delightful spark in her had come from. So many questions to be answered. And now he had all the time in the world.

"Dr. Banner?" Nick Fury looked down at the man typing furiously over a computer. "Anything?"

"Your team was right," Banner pointed at a glowing dot on the computer screen. "There are faint traces of gamma radiation shooing up just outside Berlin. Looks like the area's fairly dead. Nothing there but a shut down subway station."

"If that's our best chance," Steve Rogers stepped up to see the location as well. "We better leave now before Loki has time to pack up and move."

"Report to the Quinjet in five," Director Fury turned to the Captain. "Tell Stark and Thor to get their rears in gear, you're going in and if it's not friendly, get rid of it."

"Yes, sir," Steve turned to the door.

"Doctor," Director Fury turned back to Bruce, his expression nothing but serious. "You think you can handle going with them?"

Banner smiled a little. "If I go, I'm not sure there'll be much of anything left."

"So long as we can find the Tesseract I don't care what's left," he said. "And I want you to keep an eye out for that girl Remington mentioned."

"Ellie." Bruce nodded. "Right."

Fury stared at him. "Are you worried the Hulk might-"

"No." Bruce shook his head. "No, if she hasn't been placed under one of Loki's spells, she should be fine."

"And if she is?"

Bruce sighed. "We just have to hope that's not the case."

"Sir?"

Barton's voice pulled Loki's gaze away from the girl on the bed. The man held his bow close, his fingers itching to reach for one of the arrows in his quiver.

"We have a problem."

"When did you spot them?" Loki growled, storming into Selvig's work space. "Collect everything," He snapped. "You're leaving at once."

"Sir?" Selvig tried to question him but a blazing look from his Lord sent him scrambling to grab only what he needed.

"Just now," Barton said, pulling an image up onto the computer screen. "We've got one S.H.I.E.L.D. bird in the air. Stark and your…" A look from Loki silenced him. "Stark and Thor are close behind."

"Make certain Selvig and the Tesseract are cleared from the area and have the others ready for battle. Send one of them to guard my quarters," he ordered, his mind rushing back to his flower for a moment.

"Yes, sir." Barton turned to go.

"Agent Barton," Loki stopped him. "How do you suppose they found us?"

"If I had to guess, sir?" Barton asked. Loki nodded. "I'd said through Remington."

Loki gritted his teeth, just one more reason to despite that whelp. He turned back to Agent Barton.

"I had expected you to take care of this properly," Loki said softly.

"I understand, sir," Barton responded.

"Report to your post," Loki commanded. "And Agent Barton…when your finished with Agent Romanoff, bring me her head."

"Yes, sir."

There is little to no actual battle. Loki's men, despite their training, were far from prepared to deal with the Avengers. A good ten were taken out through the Hulk crashing through the door alone. With only one member of their party not fully bullet proof and none of the men able to catch her as it was, a good chunk of Loki's men went down without a single thought. Thor broke off from the group early, his mind set on confronting his brother. Iron Man and Captain America stayed behind to take care of the remains of Loki's thugs while Natasha took off under the guise of trying to find the Tesseract. Everyone knew her heart was after Barton. The Hulk, in the other hand, was after anything and everything that was shooting at him, hoping to pound it into a pulp. Tony Stark seemed to like this and, much to Captain America's disapproval, continued to shout encouragement to him from across the way.

"LOKI!"

Loki rolled his eyes as nearby wall came blasting forward, dust and rubble clearing to reveal his brother, ever the pest as always.

"There's no need to shout," Loki said calmly, summoning his armor. "I can clearly hear you."

"What have you done with Selvig? Where is the Tesseract?" Thor growled, lifting Mjnoir as Loki summoned his spear.

Loki chuckled. "I've sent them off. You always were one to arrive to the battle too late, Thor. A little less time admiring yourself in the mirror and you might have come in time to save him."

Thor lunged violently at his brother.

The small human fired the last of his bullets at the Hulk but he might as well have been throwing pebbles at a tank. The enormous creature knocked him through the pair of fine double doors, sending him crashing into the bed at the center of the room, causing it to collapse around him.

The Hulk clambered in, breathing heavily as he looked around at the now practically destroyed room. There was nothing of any real interest here, but as he turned to go, a sound caught his attention. It was soft. So soft that even Puny Banner wouldn't have been able to hear it. It was coming from another door at the end of the room. The Hulk approached it, pulling it off its hinges and throwing it aside to enter an even smaller bedroom. His eyes turned to the bed.

The sound, a raspy, pained moaning was coming from a girl laying on the bed, several blankets draped on top of her, trying to keep her warm. She moved very slightly and seemed tired and sickly to the huge being. He moved quietly towards the bed, looking at her with confused eyes. In his mind, he could recall that Banner had been looking for someone. Was this her? He moved one of his hands down to the bed and bearing in mind his great strength, very, very softly touched her shoulder.

When her eyes opened, he could see the fear in them instantly. He was used to that. A lot of women screamed at the sight of him. But after a moment, he found it odd that she wasn't screaming. Or panicking in any way for that matter. The fear had slowly begun to melt away, turning to recognition. She'd heard of the Hulk, even seen pictures of him. She'd heard the stories of how he'd actually saved innocent lives rather than harming them, but never in her life had she imagined she would see him up close. And if the Hulk was here….

She struggled to push herself up, a new wave of sickness coming over her. A terrible pain shot through her right side, causing her release an agonizing moan. The Hulk startled a little at the sound, but came closer when her suffering became clear to him. She clutched her body, desperate to quell the pain. desperate Her body felt like a war zone, battling some unearthly element it had no hope of defeating.

"Loki…" She breathed, the name causing the Hulk to growl slightly as she tried to get up from the bed. Now rid of the blankets, he could see the long yellow dress she was wearing. "You gotta… you gotta get to him before he can…" She didn't have the energy to finish. The Hulk caught her in his arms, cradling her as gently as he could. Against his body, she felt cold and her tiny form trembled in his arms, whatever causing this pain now aggravated by her movements. The Hulk drew his other arm around her, positioned to protect her against any further form of gun fire as he left the room. This was the human Banner had been looking for and he had to get her to the others.

It was not an uncommon sight to anyone in the room. Loki, now surrounded by four aggravated figures, weapons drawn and ready to attack, bore a sadistic grin. It seemed as though the sight did nothing to discourage him. His only disadvantage now was a now passed out Barton laying in the corner, a huge welt forming on his head. Loki could only guess that Agent Romanoff had made use of those lovely legs of hers and delivered a rather nasty kick to his brow. No matter, he'd gotten out of worse situations before and he planed to do so again. He readied his staff to deflect another blow from Iron Man when a flash of something very large and very green caught his gaze, caught everyone's gaze in fact.

The Hulk entered the room, roaring in a oafish display of power as his eyes made contact with Loki, but it was not the Hulk himself that drew Loki's attention. It was what the foul beast was carrying in his arms. Loki's eyes blazed violently as the Hulk lowered himself to place his discovery on the floor.

Ellie barely moved as she was placed gingerly on the broken ground. Her breathing had slowed, far shallower than before and the absence of the warmth of the Hulk's arms left her cold, causing her to start shivering again.

"Ellie." Captain America was the first to react as he came to the girl's side, pulling off one of his gloves to feel her forehead. Clammy and cold, her skin had paled to a sickly white. "Agent Romanoff, we need a medical team here now!"

Natasha nodded, sending out a medical request for both the girl and Barton over her ear piece, pausing only when she noticed the look on Loki's face. It was disgusted, violent and infuriated, as though the sight of Avengers coming around this girl was the most despicable sight he'd ever witnessed.

Natasha wondered, if only for a moment, if Loki was more upset over them finding this girl than his capture.

"J.A.R.V.I.S." Tony Stark's voice came through the armor as he knelt beside the Ellie, certain that Thor, the Widow and the Hulk would keep Loki at bay for the time being. "I'm need you to run a medical scan on a blood sample." Tenderly, he picked up one of the girl's fingers, pricking it to produce a small pearl of blood on the tip of her finger. She winced at the pain, whimpering a little.

"You're okay, sweetheart," Stark's voice pulled her back into a semiconscious state, allowing her to survey the scene. With her mind in a daze, there wasn't much she could comprehend at that moment, but the vague sight of a fallen Agent Barton was enough to propel her to try to get to him.

"Agent-"

"He's all right, miss," The Captain whispered, holding her as still as possible. "He's all right."

"Sir." J.A.R.V.I.S.'s voice came trough in Tony's helmet. "My analysis has located a foreign substance in this young woman's system. From what I can compile, this sickness has been creating through severe stress on her chemical make-up. Further more, sir, there seems to be no record of this substance on earth-."

"What did you do to her, Loki?" Stark turned back to the battle, drawing the attention of both Thor and the Hulk as well. Loki made no move to speak, this rage still boiling in his eyes.

"What did you give her?" Stark snapped. "Poison? Narcotic? Date Rape drug? You know what, I'm gonna give you to the count or three-" Stark raised his arm, missiles ready to fire.

"ENOUGH!" Thor stepped forward, Mjolnir lifted defensively. "Stark, I will not-"

"It can't be stopped."

Loki's voice brought the whole room to silence.

"Still your petty thoughts," Loki snarled at the man in gold and crimson armor. "Think what you wish, but it makes no difference. She is mine."

"Everything seems to be balancing out," Bruce double-checked the computer screens, re-adjusting the I.V. drip as he looked down at the girl in the bed. "Hopefully this will all pass soon."

"Four days," Tony mumbled as he tried to rub away an approaching headache. "And God only knows how long she was out before that. Did the results come back yet?"

"Some of them." Bruce picked up a clip board, looking back over the papers he'd been given earlier that afternoon. "Negative on Tox Screen, Negative on physical trauma," He looked up at Tony. "Negative on rape kit."

Tony sighed a little, for once glad to know that he'd been wrong.

Loki and Ellie had come into their "care" only a few days ago. For the time being, Loki was being kept in a cage that had originally been designed to hold- though no one was going to openly admit it- Bruce in case the other guy decided he didn't want to be there anymore. At Thor's requests, however, though-Tony would have been the first to openly declare it begging- Loki had been given several "updates" to his room. Books, strong arm-chairs, comfortable bedding, even a small desk. Nothing too extravagant, of course, but even someone with vision problems could see it was special treatment.

Ellie had been taken to the infirmary at once and once her constant shivering had ceased, Bruce had stepped forward, volunteering to look after her for the time being. The other doctors were… well, far from happy at such a suggestion, but a single word from Director Fury insured Ellie's was in good hands.

"How's she doing?" Agent Romanoff's voice broke the momentary silence as she entered the room, eyes going to the girl laying still in the bed.

"Fine by outward perception," Dr. Banner noted. "Fever broke this morning and her skin's getting some color back, but nothing's for sure till she wakes up. How's Barton doing?"

"The swelling's gone down," she shrugged, eyeing Tony as she could make out the trace of a smirk on his lips. "He wants to see her once she wakes up."

"Interrogation?" Stark pondered aloud. Natasha shot him a look.

"Concern. Loki didn't trust a lot of people with her. Clint was Loki's favorite pick to play guard. He wants to be the one to tell her about Remington."

"Barton knew Remington?" Stark raised an eyebrow.

"Under Loki's control, he said he gave him a pretty hard time," Natasha said softly. "He said he…."She shook her head. "He says it's because of Remington that she's like this."

"Remington did this?" Dr. Banner looked down at the girl.

"No," Natasha shook her head. "Loki made her drink something under the promise that Henry would be safe."

Stark huffed. "Probably why I couldn't get anything on the scan. Son of a bitch must have used something from Asgard."

"Did Loki tell him anything about it?"

Natasha looked back down at the girl. "Loki said Asgardians couldn't take humans as lovers and those who did needed a way to ensure their lovers would survive past their lifetime. So one of them found a way to…"

"Make them less human," Tony finished.

"Then…" Dr. Banner swallowed. "Loki found a way to turn her-"

"Maybe. He isn't talking though and Clint hasn't been able to recall the name of the stuff. Thor's trying to figure it out."

"Well, the sooner we know exactly what he did, the better," Bruce said.

"Yeah. And one other thing," Natasha crossed her arms. "Loki never addressed her by her name."

"What did he call her?" Tony asked.

"He called her "flower."

It was the smell of the room that first made Ellie open her eyes slightly. Unlike the dank, musty smell she'd grown accustomed to living with Loki, this place smelled clean. She moved her hands slowly, suddenly realizing that the blankets on top of her body were lighter than the ones she'd previously been given. She sat up all to quickly, getting a bit of a head rush, but it didn't matter. She stared at her surroundings in silence.

The walls of the room were a dark grey metal, textured in nature and there was something almost soothing about it. Several wires attached to her body were hooked up to various machines that beeped softly, monitoring her vitals. A vase of flowers sat comfortable on a bedside table, a small touch of color.

Ellie's heart stopped. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at herself. No longer dressed in her yellow ball gown, she wore a cotton t-shirt and sleeping pants. Hospital issue probably, but at that moment, Ellie thought it was the most beautiful outfit on the planet.

"Please," She closed her eyes, pleading with all her might. "I'm begging, please let this be real!"

"You're up!" A soft voice pulled her from her wish. "Good, you had everyone worried."

Ellie's gazed turned to the man entering her room, sitting up to get a better look at him. Aside from the white doctor's coat he wore, he was dressed fairly casually in a deep purple shirt and dark brown pants. He pushed his glasses up higher on his bridge of nose as he walked over to the monitor by her bedside.

"Heart rate and BP's normal. Everything's looking good," He smiled back at Ellie. "Give it a few days and I'd say you're good as new. Can I get you anything?" He asked.

Ellie shook her head, watching him carefully. "No, thank you." Though this place certainly felt safer than Loki's "residence", Ellie wasn't sure how soon she could celebrate.

"Really?" The man gave her a smile. "Out for four days, I'd be begging for a burger."

Ellie couldn't help but smile. "A burger does sound pretty good."

The man chuckled. "Make it a double. Once I'm certain your stomach won't go into shock, we'll make a date of it."

Ellie grinned, happy that, for the first time in a long time, someone was speaking to her with a genuine warmth in his voice.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm guessing you're the one who kept me from going under?"

The man nodded. "After you arrived, I asked to be in charge of your case. I'd never seen anything like it."

Ellie's eyes shot up. "Wait, arrived where? Where am I? How long have I-"

"Slow down," he said. "Slow down, it's okay. We got you outta there, no ones gonna hurt you anymore." He stepped over to her, pulling out a stethoscope as he sat down beside her on the bed. "Here," he moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "I'm gonna need you to breathe deeply."

Ellie froze for a second, her mind still in high gear. The man's gaze turned soft, his hand rubbing her shoulder kindly. "I promise, Just gonna check your lungs. Nothing else."

Ellie looked at his face. His expression was honest enough, but that wasn't what made her stare. She knew this man… somehow. Something about his eyes, she'd seen them before. Eventually, she realized she'd spent a good five minutes just starring at him. She quickly nodded and let him place the device on her chest.

"To answer your question," The man continued as Ellie breathed, moving the small metal piece to the other side of her chest. "You're currently over Manhattan."

"Over?" Ellie asked, between breaths. "Like flying?"

"Thirty thousand feet," the man said, catching Ellie's confused expression. "Trust me, it's a shock to everyone at first."

"How?" She asked. "We're in a plane?"

The man shook his head, reaching for Ellie's wrist to check her pulse. "It's an airborne aircraft carrier."

Ellie rubbed her eyes, trying to process what would come to be the first of many shocks. "'Kay, how long have I been out?"

"Since you got here, about six days. But we're not clear as to how long you were out before you arrived."

Ellie closed her eyes, trying to think back to that day. "I don't remember."

"No one expects you too," the doctor said. "You've been through hell, you need to rest."

"I mean, I remember seeing…" She stopped, shaking her head. "Sorry, I didn't get your name, Doctor."

"I didn't tell you. It's Banner," the man held out his hand. "Bruce Banner."

"Banner…" Ellie looked him over as she shook his hand. That name sounded very… Of course. Her smile widened as the pieces all fell into place.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner." She said softly.

"For what?"

Ellie watched him for a moment. "You saved my life."

Bruce smiled. "Well, I just made sure-"

"No," Ellie stopped him. "Back in my room. You found me down there. You saved my life."

Dr. Banner blushed, freezing in his spot for a second. "I… I don't think you're-"

Ellie shook her head. "You looked too familiar. Except not as big… or green. But you got me out of there." She grinned. "Thank you."

For a moment, Dr. Banner didn't speak. He seemed a little embarrassed. "How… I didn't think that much information had gone public."

"When I was in college, I used to cut through the science building on campus to get to the visual art studio." Ellie said. "I heard your name dropped a couple of times, as well as your..."

Dr. Banner raised an eyebrow. "Condition?"

Ellie smiled sheepishly. "You still saved me. I owe you my life."

Bruce shook his head. "Naw, you're fine. Besides, it wasn't me who saved you, it was the other guy."

Ellie nodded. "Well, would you mind telling the other guy "Thank you" on my behalf?"

Bruce couldn't recall the last time someone had actually thanked him for being the Hulk. In fact, he wracked his brain to try to remember if there even was a "last time." Regardless, he smiled once again.

"I'll deliver the message personally."

"Then thank you to the both of you," Ellie said softly.

While Dr. Banner really would have preferred Ellie to rest, he couldn't exactly disagree with the argument that she'd spent the last 6- possibly more- days in bed and was more than rested enough for the time being.

"I just wanna stroll for a bit," she said. "Half and hour at most."

Bruce smiled. "Twenty Minutes, I don't want you relapsing."

"Thanks." Ellie looked down at herself. "Any chance on finding some… less awkward "walk about" clothes?"

"I'll see what I can scrounge up," Bruce said. He motioned to a tray of food that had been placed beside her bed. "Eat what you can and I'll see what I can find."

Ellie nodded, taking Bruce's absence to look over her lunch delivery. Tuna Sandwich and some fruit, nothing overly fancy but after being out for God knows how long, Ellie couldn't help but scarf it down, enjoying every bite.

Bruce returned soon after, a little amazed but not at all shocked at how quickly she'd inhaled her food with a set of clothes; a pair of tan and a teal shirt. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and Bruce lead her from the infirmary, keeping her close to be on the safe side.

"So, who built this exactly?" Ellie asked, looking around.

"S.H.I.E.L.D." Bruce said. "They're a privately funded government agency."

"S.H.I.E.L.D?" Ellie questioned. "Never heard of them."

"They tend to keep a low profile," Bruce said as he lead Ellie out onto the bridge of the Helicarrier. Ellie froze in her tracks, mind completely blown by everything around her.

"I… see…" She swallowed, feeling herself to be a fish out of water. The large glass panels in front of her leading out to an endless sky. She'd once heard Loki speak of "Worlds beyond" earth and this universe, it suddenly fully dawning on her that there was so much she, nor anyone else knew about.

Loki. The name cracked in her skull like a whip. What'd happened to him? Had he escaped? was he looking for-

"Well! Someone's up and about!"

Ellie turned around, her eyes turning to a large table, the primary meeting spot of the ship or so she assumed. A group of about six people sitting around it. Only one face looked frailer and that was only due to seeing him, well to be quite frank, continuously on Entertainment Tonight.

"How you feeling, kid?" The man who had addressed her spoke again once she finally found the courage to step forward.

"All right, I think," she said. "My head's still a little fuzz, but other than that, I'm actually feeling pretty good."

"Good to know," Another man with light blonde hair spoke up. "We weren't sure if you were gonna come back to us or not."

Ellie smiled again. "I take it you guys brought me here?"

"You'd be correct." An older gentleman stepped forward, offering her his hand. "Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Ellie shook his hand, smiling in return. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"This is Agent Hill," He pointed to a young woman sitting behind him. "Agent Coulson," He nodded to the man next to her, "And there," he turned back to the rest of the table. "Are the people who brought you here."

Ellie turned back to the three men, their eyes now all on her. She swallowed a little, hating herself for becoming starstruck now of all times.

"Really, I…. I can't thank you enough for finding me," she said, looking at each of them in turn.

"Well, it was the big guy who actually found you," a young brunette man stood up from the table, coming over and shaking her hand almost a little too strongly. "But I'll accept on his behalf. Tony Stark," he introduced himself, giving her a charming smile.

"Ellie Conner," she said, trying to hold back a laugh. "Pleasure's all mine."

"The walking flag back there is Steve Rogers and Goldilocks to the right is Thor," Tony continued, not minding the looks from the rest of the group.

"We're more than capable of introducing ourselves, Stark." Steve rose from his seat, shaking Ellie's hand. "I'm glad you're all right, miss."

"Thank you, sir," Ellie said, nodding in return. She looked over at the final man standing there, but he hadn't moved at all. He just seemed to be watching her, doing a poor job at trying to hide the pained expression on his face. Eventually, he approached her. Ellie held out her hand but was a little taken aback when he didn't accept it.

"Miss Ellie," he said finally, eventually taking her hand, lowing his head and kissing the top gently. "Though I know I am not worthy of it, I must ask for your forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" Ellie stared at him. "You haven't done anything. You got me outta there, if anything I should be-"

"I ask for your forgiveness, my lady," he said softly. "As I should have known sooner of my brother's schemes. Perhaps, something could have been done sooner."

Ellie paused. "How could you have known? And who's your-"

"Loki."

A moment of worried silence followed.

"Loki is my brother, Miss Ellie."

The silence in the room prompted an unnecessary, but rather truthful quip from Tony. "Well… that was awkward." Agent Hill shot him a reprimanding look.

Ellie continued to watch Thor for a moment, looking for some form of resemblance. And while she thought she could see a little… Loki's eyes had been so cold. Thor's were strong, but still warm. She cleared her throat.

"He never mentioned you." She said softly.

"I would not expect him to," Thor told her. "We have not been on good terms for some time. But I swear to you, Miss Ellie, had I known that he-"

"It's okay," Ellie stopped him. "It's not your fault."

Ellie didn't blame Thor, though a part of her did ponder how he could not have known the comings and goings of his brother. But Loki was a magical being and she knew there were many things about him she could not understand.

"Miss?" Steve's voice drew her attention. "Did Loki ever tell you anything about his plans? Did he ever mention anything called the "Tesseract?"

Ellie wracked her mind. "Apart from his continuous reminders that he was going to rule the earth, nothing. At least nothing I was present for. He mentioned that "Tesseract" once, but I don't think I ever saw it."

"When you were in my brother's keep, what did you see?" Thor asked gently, hoping for any hints she might had over looked.

"Mostly him, really." She said. "He rarely left me alone if he didn't have to. There was… I guess the "throne room", my bed room and the library. The only time I ever saw anything… God, 'm not exactly sure what it was,. He did mention the Tesseract though so whatever they were building, I'm guessing it needed the Tesseract to work.

"Was there an older man working there with him?" Nick Fury asked. "Around sixty, grey hair, name is Eric Selvig."

"Dr. Selvig?" Ellie asked. Thor's eyes turned to her. "Loki introduced me to him once but that was it." Ellie shrugged. "Nobody ever spoke to me."

"Hows that?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"They weren't allowed to."

Thor lowered his head a little, ashamed of his brother's actions. Ellie noticed and managed a small grin.

"It's okay. At least you were able to stop him," she said.

"For the time being, yes," Thor sighed. Ellie's eyes narrowed.

"For the time being?" She asked. "You weren't-"

"We were able to apprehend him," a new voice, the voice of a man, far from old, but not quite young spoke up. The gentleman Dr. Fury had introduced as Agent Coulson stood up, eyes trained on Ellie. "Until further notice, he is in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody."

Ellie's heart stopped, something poking at her heart. "Where is he?"

Coulson took a moment before speaking. "He's in prisoner containment. Section sixty-two." He quickly noticed the color draining from Ellie's face. "I can assure you he's completely secured," he said. "Round-the-clock guards and continuous surveillance. I promise you, Miss Conner, he can't hurt you."

His tone was reassuring enough, but after spending… She thought back to the day of her disappearance. "Does… Anyone know how long I've been gone?"

"Two months," Director Fury stepped forward. "Your parents filed a missing person's report immediately.

Two months. Two months with Loki in that place. She rubbed her face, trying to keep herself stable as everything slowly began to sink in. Dr. Banner stepped forward.

"I think that's enough information for right now," he said. "I'll take her back to the infirmary."

Director Fury nodded. The others rose to say good-bye for the time being.

"Can an old friend say hi?"

Ellie now found her attention being pulled to a young woman entering the room. A striking woman with beautiful red hair. She offered Ellie a smile and her hand. "Miss Conner, I'm Agent Natasha Romanoff."

Ellie thought back to the night the Hulk had found her. There had been a woman with bright red hair… she nodded and shook the woman's hand. "Good to meet you. I'm glad you caught me."

"I was visiting a friend," She said. "I thought you'd might like to say hello."

Another figure stepped out into the bridge of a ship. Ellie turned away from the woman for a moment, her heart stopping.

He didn't look as sickly as he had previously and apart from a small bump on his head, he looked exactly the same. His eyes weren't that icy blue anymore though. They'd returned to their normal color, determined as ever, but kinder. His all black attired had been changed slightly, this time wearing a vest that bore maroon pattern on it. Ellie swallowed.

"Miss Conner," he said.

"Agent Barton," she nodded, approaching him. She stopped before him, just looking for a minute. Inside, all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him as tightly as she could but given that this was their first "official" meeting, she didn't want to create awkward tension.

"Ellie, I can't even begin to-"

"Don't." She stopped him. "It's not your fault." She smiled a little. "I don't think you wanted to be there anymore than I did."

"Ellie…" Barton took a deep breath. "I was the one who brought you to Loki."

Ellie stared at him.

"After… whatever happened in that dress shop-"

Stark raised an eyebrow.

"He ordered me to find you. Track you down and bring you back to him. Ellie, I swear, if I'd-"

"I Know," She stopped him again. "It's okay, I know it wasn't you. Hell, I don't even know how I didn't end up like that."

"Like what?" Steve asked.

"Loki's mind control didn't work on her," Barton said. 'Whatever he did, you fought it off."

"It was a fluke," Ellie shrugged it off.

"I doubt that," Thor spoke up. "Loki is many things, but his magic is unrivaled on Asgard. For you to have deflected it and perhaps the power of the tesseract, even… you made yourself something of a match for my brother."

Stark cleared his throat. "I think he meant mental match, sweetheart."

Even Ellie couldn't resist a very tiny smile at Stark's attempt to cover Thor's verbal mishap. She looked back to Barton.

"I'm just happy you're all right. I saw you on the floor-"

"Well, I couldn't help that-" He shot a grin back at Agent Romanoff, who returned it.

Ellie noted the look, wondering to herself if… well, she'd keep that thought to herself for now, even if they did seem cute together. "I was horrified, I had no-" It was like being struck by lightning, no pun intended. "Oh My God! That guy! The one in my room when-"

"Henry Remington," Barton moved closer. Ellie nodded quickly.

"Yes! Where is he? Is he okay? He wasn't caught in the battle, was he? What did Loki-"

Barton placed his hands gently on Ellie's shoulders, stilling her as silence once again covered the room. A coldness seemed to creep into Ellie's heart with the way Agent Barton's eyes were linked with hers.

"Agent Barton-"

"Clint," he said gently. "You can call me Clint."

Ellie searched his eyes, looking for answers. "Clint, where is-"

Clint sighed. "Henry Remington is dead, Miss Conner."

It didn't register. It couldn't. How does something like that stick to the mind the first time around? She stepped back. She opened her mouth a little, but try as she might, she could not find the words. Her skin lost the healthy twinges of pink had regained over the past few days and when she spoke, it was barely a whisper.

"How?"

Clint closed his eyes. "Loki never kept his word. Remington was sent away after you lost consciousness. His murder was a set up to keep everyone off Loki's scent."

Ellie just stared at Clint. She felt sick to her stomach, swallowing to keep herself in check.

"Just a lie the whole time, wasn't it?" She asked to everyone, to herself. "And I believed him. And Henry Remington still-"

"Ellie-" Clint moved to touch her but she stepped away. She stood there in silence, letting the truth sink in.

She'd barely known Henry Remington, barely spoke a word to him when he was alive… but out of all the people in that dark, oppressive cavern, he'd been the only one to look at her as something other than pretty. He'd look at her as though she were a human. He'd talked of her even though it was forbidden. He'd even offered to forgo his own life so she could be spared Loki's magic.

And until now… she hadn't even known his name.

"He said Henry would be okay…" Ellie clenched her fists tightly, recalling Henry's voice calling to her as she'd begun to slip into the darkness, trying to keep her awake. "And…" Hot tears slid down her cheeks. "And I believed him. I was stupid enough to believe him." She turned away from the group. "You… STUPID!"

Ellie slammed her hand angrily onto the glass table, crying out a little as she heard a crack. Not from the glass, but from the bone in one of her fingers. Warm blood began to flow out across the table where her skin had split and she crumbled to the floor, clutching her injured hand.

"Oh My God, Ellie!" Bruce ran beside her, carefully moving her other hand away to get a better look at her injuries. Clint appeared on her other side trying to get a look when he stopped, his eyes narrowing in on the injury.

"What the hell?"

Clint, Bruce and Ellie all looked down at the injured hand, watching in shock as the bone began to knit itself back into place. The cut in her skin closed, healing perfectly, without so much as a scab to be seen. Trembling, Ellie displayed her hand, turning it back and forth as the fear crept into her body.

"Oh my God." Bruce whispered.

"What's wrong?" Tony's voice broke the silence, hating to be left out of the loop. Ellie turned, showing her uninjured hand to the group. Even the blood that had once coated the injury had vanished. Coulson's eyes flashed down to the table, beholding several large drops of blood, the only remaining proof of an injury.

Thor regarded the girl painfully, the full truth dawning on him. He cursed himself once again for not being able to protect an innocent. "Loki…" he whispered. "What have you done?

Bruce helped Ellie up, putting an arm carefully around her shoulder. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

At first, Ellie's legs refused to obey her, her body still in shock at its recent discovery of its own self. But with a gentle prodding from Bruce, she was able to move.

"Miss Ellie!" Thor finally broke his silence.

"I really don't think this is a good time-" Bruce began but Thor's voice halted the girl in her tracks.

"The formula my brother gave you," Thor said softly. "Did he give it a name?"

"Thor, This isn't the-"

"Adlig…" The small sound escaped her mouth. "Adlig… something." She whispered.

Thor had never been a scholar, but he knew the laws of Asgard. As future king, it was his duty to. Perhaps it was only through the law that the start of the potion's title sounded frailer.

" 'Adligamentum Animus'? " Thor asked. Ellie nodded.

"Adliga-what?" Tony repeated.

"In your tongue it means "Bound Soul." He looked to Ellie. "Ellie's life force is no longer depended upon her own body. She possess the life force of an Asgardian now."

Clint's eyes turned back to Thor, a memory rushing back, striking him like a falling brick. "Loki… He said as long as he lives…"

"Then Ellie shall live. Through my brother, Ellie has gained immortality."


	3. Chapter 3

The Avengers continued to talk as Bruce took Ellie back to the infirmary. What had started out as a moment of light had slowly faded into a dark, empty space. Immortality was… something Ellie never wanted.

Many humans dream of defeating the fear of death, of knowing that they would see time beyond their own… Once Ellie had considered it. She'd been young at first and like all children, when they first knew what death was, she'd been afraid… wishing that she didn't have to die. But, the older she got, the more she realized eternal life was a curse. Maybe she could blame that on watching "Doctor Who", but….

Bruce led her back into the infirmary. She sat on the bed, looking at her hand as though it were some horrible monster that had grafted itself onto her. Bruce walked over to a near-by table. He took his glasses off for a minute, wishing he had the right words to counter this.

"Ellie," he said softly. "No matter what happens, from here on out… you're safe."

Ellie didn't respond. Bruce swallowed. In her current state, he didn't know if she could be trusted alone. She looked so distressed, so broken. Bruce didn't like it, he knew that look all too well. He needed to protect her.

"Ellie," he said. "For the time being, I'm gonna have to stay with you. If I have to leave, I'll send one of the nurses in."

"Okay," she whispered.

"Can I get anything for you?"

Ellie shook her head. She turned over and lay on the bed, cradling her hand. Bruce came beside her, covering her with a blanket. He sat down on the bed, rubbing her back once. Ellie closed her eyes. Bruce could hear the soft breaths, indicating tears. She reached over and clutched his hand.

"Everything'll be gone," She whispered. "And I'll still be here."

Bruce turned his hand over, holding her fingers. His hands felt warm and safe. Ellie closed her eyes, drifting into the darkness.

"So," Natasha said quietly, once Ellie was gone. "What happens now?"

Nick Fury remained still in thought for a moment before speaking. "Our main priority has been and remains finding the Tesseract. Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark will continue the search for the time being. Once it's found we can move further.

"And Ellie, sir?" Clint spoke up. "What happens to her?"

"Nothing," Tony interrupted. "She gets a clean bill of health and goes home, that's it."

"I don't believe it's that simple any more, Mr. Stark," Agent Coulson spoke up.

"Why, because suddenly she's suddenly able to piece herself back together?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Don't know how far you've traveled in New York, Agent, but that's not exactly a rare trait anymore."

"We're not talking about the mutant X-gene, Mr. Stark," Agent Coulson responded. "We're talking about a girl who might, if not does, have the capacity to live far beyond her years."

"Umm," Tony looked back to the others. "Again, last time I checked that's not exactly hard to find anymore."

"On Asgard, yes," Thor spoke up. "But on earth, I know there are men who clamor and would kill for such power." He turned to Phil. "Do you really believe her life to be in danger?"

"It would be a possibility," Coulson said solely. "I'd need more information on this "Adligamentum Animus" first and how exactly it works."

"Is there a possibility it could be reversed?" Natasha spoke again. "That it could just wear off?"

Thor shook his head. "The power Loki has used has literally bound her…" Thor searched for the word. Jane had used it once. "Chemi…"

"Chemical make-up? DNA?" Tony offered.

Thor nodded in thanks towards Tony for his help. "Her body now holds an element of Loki's form within her. It's keeping her alive, protecting her. And if it has altered this "physical make-up" of her form, I know not what would happen if it were to be removed."

Tony huffed a little. "Her compound would collapse. She barely made it through the first time, I don't know if she'd be able to endure a second."

"Then our options are limited." Thor turned back to Phil. "What do you propose we do?"

"Yeah, Coulson," Stark spoke up. "What's the choice here? Science project cage? Nice bedroom for the "interest of Medical science?""

"Mr. Stark, I'd like to believe that you do not think it's easy for me to suggest this," Phil Coulson responded, his tone still as calm as ever, but Tony could swear to seeing a flash in his eyes. "This is far bigger than we originally anticipated."

"So she goes through hell at Loki's hand and then gets to come back here only to be put in a cage again, that's great." Tony snapped.

"You wanna calm down?" Steve stood up, all eyes drawing to him. "I think I can openly speak for everyone when I say that girl doesn't belong in a cage, nor does anyone WANT to put her in one."

"Have you ever been trapped, Rogers?" Tony asked. "Been alone, lost in a place for months where you don't know if it's going to be your last day on earth? Been subject to the beck and call of your captors?"

Steve stared at him. "I have." He looked around to every single person at the table. "I think we all have."

Tony didn't respond.

Nick Fury sighed. "I think we all realize that super-human abilities are no longer elements of science fiction. And it appears that longevity is not as rare as we would believe. But I think you forget, Stark, that those who do posses such powers have even stronger abilities. Abilities that more often than not keep them alive even more so than this… "immortality" does. If I believe she could be safe on earth, if I believe there was a place where she could go where no one would ever be able to touch her and she could live a normal life I would… and I will. But you know what men will do for power Stark, men that even the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would have issues facing."

"That's why you have us," Tony said.

"I can't have the Avengers on twenty-four hour surveillance of one person, Stark. And after what we just saw, I doubt she's the type to want that. Now, for the time being, we are keeping our options open. I'll get in touch with a few friends, see if there is any other doors open up. Again, our main priority is locating the Tesseract. After that, we can discuss this further."

"Are you really gonna keep your options open, Nick, or are you just saying that?" Tony crossed his arms.

The other members of the team stared. It was the first time in… well, perhaps since he'd came on board that he sounded genuinely pissed off.

"Tony," Nick looked back to him. "If everything I've heard today is true, then that girl is going to outlive every single one of us. We'll all be long gone and she'll still look exactly the same. People are going to know, Stark. Going to wonder what would happen if they got a hold of that and they'll start hunting. They might target her, her family, anyone. If there is any other option to keeping her here, I'll take it, Stark… but there are people at risk, including herself. It's not gonna be hard not to notice that a seventy-year-old still looks to be in her twenties."

Tony stared at Fury, wishing for some come back, some bitter retort. He knew Fury to have lies and secrets beyond anyone else he knew… expect perhaps Loki and he didn't even really know Loki… but when Fury was truthful, genuine, it showed… and not even he could argue with that.

Fury looked at Agent Coulson. "For the time being, Coulson, I'm transferring her case to you. Banner will stay on as her doctor. Just make sure she stays out of trouble."

"Yes, sir," Coulson nodded.

"Great, Phil's on babysitting duty again."

"Babysitting implies I'm looking after a child, Mr. Stark. I prefer to use that term the appropriate situations." Phil Coulson said. "More often than not, I find myself using that term when I have to visit a certain home in Malibu"

Tony gave Phil an incredulous look.

"Any restrictions, sir?" He asked. Fury shook his head.

"For the time being, nothing out of the ordinary." He looked to everyone at the table. "You all have visiting rights," he looked directly at Stark. "But they can be revoked. She's been through enough for right now and we have larger priorities."

The meeting soon broke afterwards, eating heading in their own directions, but Clint stayed behind.

"It's not worth being yourself up over," a voice said. "You were compromised."

"I shouldn't have been," Clint said, watching as Natasha sat beside him.

"You're fooling yourself if you believe you were expected to fend off magic," Natasha noted. "No one blames you. She doesn't blame you. And I don't believe she'd want you to beat yourself up over that. If I were her, I wouldn't want that."

Clint smiled back at his partner. "What if it had been you?" He whispered. "Before the battle, Loki ordered-"

"I'd have knocked some sense into you sooner," She smiled.

It was completely dark when Ellie awoke. She rolled over slightly, rubbing her eyes as she looked at a near-by clock. One in the morning. She lay still in the bed, watching a few lone figures walk through the halls, probably about to turn in for the night, or take on the graveyard shift.

Ellie looked down at her hand once again, the events from that afternoon still crystal clear in her mind. A broken bone healing instantaneously tends to leave an impact on people.

A gentle noise caught her attention and Ellie looked to nurse was sitting in a chair across from the bed, having drifted off to sleep. Bruce must have stepped out. Ellie smiled. His concern for her well-being was more than accepted, but she didn't wanna hurt herself. Scared and frightened, yes. Giving up completely, no.

What she wanted was answers…. and to give someone a pretty big piece of her mind.

For a while, she just lay in bed, considering her options but since most of them seemed illogical and she knew there was no way in hell a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was going to deliver a piece of mail to a sociopathic prisoner, Ellie would just have to send the message herself.

She moved quietly out of bed, keeping an eye on the nurse at all times less she disturb her and run the risk of being administered a sedative. She picked up a pair of slippers on the floor and tip toed over to the door. Thankfully she found it to be unlocked and rather than run the risk of a loud noise waking her "guard" she slid the door open a little and crept out of the room, watching the halls for anyone approaching. Every now and then she'd have to duck into a corridor to avoid being spotted, but she kept her eyes on the goal, not stopping to take a break till she reached a stairwell. Using the elevator would present a higher risk of getting caught.

And where she was going, she didn't want anyone to follow.

She looked out at the number painted on the wall. Section forty-five. The Infirmary.

Good, she thought. She didn't have far to go.

It amazed Ellie how few guards were actually around the detention center. How many locks had they placed him under that they truly believed he was safe. She looked a head, somewhat grateful at least to see two guards standing by the main entrance. Well, at least it was something.

But again, why only two? Surely they didn't think that would be enough?

She watched in silence for a while as the guards stood stock still outside the door. Maybe this wasn't going to work after all.

Soon enough, however, two other guards came, presumably to relieve their companions of duty. She watched them speak for a moment, sharing a comment or a laugh or two, before one of the guards motioned that the other two had to come with him for a minute. At first the guards seemed uncertain of the act, but once she heard the words "Director Fury" dropped, she knew it wouldn't be long before they left. Paperwork, maybe, she thought.

She watched as they left the station, leaving the coast clear. Ellie swallowed and hoped it would be a while before they came back.

This would not be a short conversation.

She approached the door, biting her tongue angrily once she saw the security code panel on the door.

"Damn!" She thought to herself. Well, great job thinking this one through-"

She was interrupted in mid thought as the door slowly opened of its own will. She stepped back in shock, looking to see if anyone else had… She paused. A new thought came to mind. She clenched her fists and entered the room, the door closing slowly behind her.

At the center of the room was a large glass… Well, Ellie could have liked it to a fish tank for the shark that was kept inside, but it was a containment cell. A large circular chamber surrounded by thick, thick glass. Though certainly not like any cell Ellie had ever heard of or read about.

The interior was strangely well decorated, though there was evidence that it had been pretty sparse before. While there wasn't anything present that could be used as a weapon, there was more than enough to make a person… any person let alone one with a Machiavellian mind-set to feel more than comfortable.

She moved slowly up the metal staircase, leading to the front of the cage. She watched a lone figure sitting in a regal green armchair, his attention fully absorbed in a book he was holding. He crossed one leg over the other, flipping to the next page of his book before continuing to read. Ellie stared at him, bitting back the swelling wave of fear as she started to speak.

"You can stop pretending now," she said.

"Is it so obvious to you?" He did not turn around, but there was a smile in his voice.

"Don't insult me… or yourself," she said. "I don't think anyone guarding an enemy of earth would leave their post that easily."

This prompted him to place his book down. He uncrossed his legs and rose from his seat, smiling at her as his eyes met with her once again.

"My flower," he greeted her. Ellie didn't move. She had to hold herself back from flinching at the name. "Dressed in the rags of a mortal but still as lovely as ever. How fascinating it is that we should meet again like this. I am currently the one, as you said, "in a golden cage," he smiled. "And you walk around freely. Is this not the case? Or…" he moved a little closer to the glass, "is there something missing from this moment? A truth of some kind?"

"Whatever you did to me," Ellie said sharply. "Whatever you gave me, get rid of it. Now."

"Oooo," Loki smiled. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "If I did not know better, I'd say you were making demands of me. A mere captive who can not leave this prison. What has brought you to such a state, flower?"

"Shut up!" Ellie snapped, her voice a mere whisper, but an angry, vicious whisper at that. "This ends now! You never kept our deal. Change. Me. Back." She hissed out each and every word violently.

"I did?" Loki asked, sickeningly innocently. "As I recall," he moved carefully, each step calculated perfectly, like a cat waiting for the right moment to strike an injured mouse. "I kept our bargain. Your friend was not harmed by myself or my men."

"Bastard," Ellie seethed, trembling. "He was killed and I think I know who ordered it!"

"Still," Loki said, watching her every move. "It was not my hand that took his final breath. It was not my blade that slit his throat. Even if it was by my own hand, flower…. sweet, beautiful flower," Each word oozed from his mouth with syrupy sweetness. "I can not undo what your form has become. It is not within mine nor any power known to the nine realms. Your soul now lives through me and so it shall be forever."

"You're sick," Ellie said, fighting everything within her to not let Loki's words get to her. "You bind some girl you don't even know to you just because you want some kind of pet? You're pathetic, plain and simple."

Loki's eyes flashed. "What makes you think I don't know you, flower?" He snarled a little. "What makes you think I don't know you, PET?" He snapped, causing her to step back. At the sight, he calmed himself, smiling at her as though such a act had never occurred. "Do you not think that I did not consider my actions? Did I not say before I could have had any mortal I desired? Yet in the end, I chose you."

"You chose pretty poorly," Ellie said. "And you did NOT think this through because you did not consider this. You get your ass handed to you. You get caught. You a one-way ticket back to Asgard. You pay for everything you've done and I head home."

"Is that so?" Loki asked his teeth glimmering like sharp pearls in the dim light. "How lovely. "Good triumphs over evil", is that right? The villain is taken away in chains and the beautiful maiden returns to the loving arms she was so crudely snatched away from. Were you ever told who brought you to me?"

"You were controlling him," Ellie said sharply. "I don't care."

"Curious. How quick you are to forgive, flower," Loki chuckled. "At any rate, so the story ends. You return home as though our meeting were nothing more than a bad dream. I am sent away and you gain all you lost. Am I correct?" He smiled. "If that is so… what brings you here tonight?"

Ellie paused, her heart beat starting to quicken at his question. "I want whatever you gave me out!"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no," Loki shook his head. "There's more, isn't there? Something that startled you? Something that brought you to me even sooner than I would have thought? Perhaps… a new concern has come to light. When will Director Fury allow you to return home?"

Ellie swallowed. Director Fury hadn't exactly told her that yet. "Soon," She said.

"Why so uncertain?" Loki chuckled, putting his finger to his lips. "Have you been thinking about what will they think of you when you return home? Do they not have certain words for humans like you? I've heard quite a few myself. "Freak?" "Monster?" "Abnormal?" "Creature?" "Thing from another realm?" Surely you must have heard some already… perhaps even before you came to my side. I do know so little of your childhood, flower. Tell me, what did your schoolmates think of you when you were younger."

Ellie could feel her rage boiling. "I never came to your side!" She snapped.

"Not willingly," Loki shrugged. "But these last two months have proven otherwise. And let us not forget, I offered you your freedom. Yet you choose to stay of your own free will."

"You said you'd kill my family!" Ellie snarled.

"I said no such thing." Loki grinned. "I said there might not be a place for them in my new kingdom. But such words can mean a lot of things. Imprisonment. Banishment. Servitude. Death is not the only option, flower-"

"SHUT UP!" Ellie roared. "STOP CALLING ME THAT! I AM NOT YOUR "FLOWER!"

"But you are," Loki's grin widened. "You were since the moment I saw you. You were mine since the moment of your birth, if it has all lead up to this. By the hands of fate, I was bound to find you and you were bound to be mine." He stared at her. "And your choice to accept my life-"

"Through a gun pointed at Henry Remington's head!" Ellie counter, her control over her emotions slowly slipping away.

"Remington," Loki's smile faded a tad. "Of course. The bleeding heart of a mortal always blinded by affection rather than fact. Why weep for a man lead by false affections. He was the one who knew nothing of you, flower."

"He knew I was human. He knew I didn't belong in a cage."

"You barely knew him." Loki countered. "You did not even know his name. You could have let him die. What would it have mattered to you? You could have watched that worthless human fall dead at your feet and you'd be mortal. Instead you allowed him to live-"

"LIAR!" Ellie screamed. "You bastard! You twisted my words around, you-."

"'Monster?'" Loki offered. "'Creature of darkness?' 'Lie-smith?' I've heard them all, flower." He grinned. "You chose to accept my life force into your body. I am, in every sense, the reason you live at this very moment. Your heart, your brain, oh yes, they are treasures, but your life is now mine. I am reason you walk, the reason you breathe. How is your hand, by the by?"

Ellie's face blanched, her once injured hand curling into a fist. How did he-

"When you return home, flower," Loki said, "If those who "saved you" from me even allow for such a thing, It won't take long for the truth to come to light. You are not the child you used to be. You are not even mortal. Your life is beyond those of the humans who walk the earth. And it will not take long for them to see your new existence. To never age, never grow weak from sickness, to never again feel the affects of mortality. Tell me, when the truth is revealed, what mortal man would have the heart to take you for his wife?"

Ellie's mouth went dry.

"To have an eternally beautiful bride, What a prize. But then they have grown old, when they pass into the next life and you remain as lovely as the day they married you, what shall they wonder? Who will be next? Will they become just a name on your long list of partners? And what of your children?"

"Shut up." Ellie whispered.

"It is only your life force that is mine, flower. Born from the seed of a mortal father, they will grow, they will age and they shall die. Imagine, flower, watching your children and their children and even their children grow, blossom into life and then die. Your lifetime is many, their's is one." Loki smiled. "You have no place among the mortals any longer, sweetest flower, if you are even allowed to return. Your place, the only place you belong is by my side and even if I must remain in this prison for eons at end, I will always know of you. Think of you. Dream of you and I shall never stop doing so. If you run, I will find you, I will hunt you down and bring you back to me even if it takes till the stars turn cold. You are mine, Midgardian flower- No." Loki chuckled. "No. No longer. My sweet Asgardian flower. And come time enough… you will obey me. You will adore me, thank me even for my gift. Why," Loki's eyes never left the terrified girl's. "You might even come to love-"

A loud sound caused Ellie to step back and even Loki jolted a little. The floor under the cell had parted, revealing a rather large and rather long hole. Whatever was dropped down it was not coming back. Ellie turned around, her heart stopping as she saw someone near the cell's control panel.

"It's very late. I think that's enough conversation for one evening," the finely dressed man said, shutting down the panel before walking over to Ellie. He took off his suit coat, putting it gently over her shoulders. "I think its best we get you back to the infirmary, Miss Conner."

"Ever the gentleman, Agent Coulson?" Loki asked, eyeing the mortal touching his flower dangerously.

"I see no reason not to be," Coulson smiled at the prisoner. "Have a good evening, Mr. Loki." He turned to go, leading Ellie along with him.

"Likewise," Loki said, loudly enough for him to hear. "Sleep well, my flower."

"Don't answer him," Coulson said, keeping Ellie close, refusing to let her address that man anymore as he gently lead her back to the infirmary.


	4. Chapter 4

Loki smiled as the agent lead his flower from the room, the door sliding into place and locking behind them, leaving him alone once again.

Loki found it nothing if not precious that they truly believed they could keep him from his flower.

They would try, Odin knows they would try and for a while she would be safe under lock and key. Until he fled Asgard once again.

Despite his acts on earth, Loki knew the All-father would not sentence him to death. The fool still held fast to and tried to perpetrate the delusion that Loki was, in fact, his kin. He'd punish Loki, of course, torture him, perhaps, but he'd be free in the end, as he always was.

Besides, Odin wouldn't dare place death upon Loki if it meant harming an innocent.

Once Loki left Asgard, he'd return for his flower. He tried to imagine how they might "keep her safe", but ultimately nothing could keep him from her. Where he would take her, given his reputation in the nine realms, was more of a mystery, but he'd still have her in the end. His sweet treasure.

He settled himself comfortably back in his seat and returned to his book, curious to learn more about these so called "Tributes" and this "game" the world of this novel forced them to participate in.

Ellie stayed silent as Agent Coulson led her back up to the infirmary, a briefcase in one hand and her arm held lightly in the other. More for precaution than disciplinary action. Quickly- now fully able to use the elevator- they returned to the infirmary and entered quietly. Coulson switched on the light, causing the sleeping nurse to awake with a start. At the sight of Ellie out of bed, her face paled. Coulson stepped forward.

"I'm sorry about that." He said, patting the woman's shoulder. "We were trying to be as quiet as possible."

"Agent Coulson, I-"

"It was my fault for not following procedure," he said, smiling contently. "We would have woken you but you looked exhausted. So I escorted Miss Conner on a walk. Being confined to a bed can make one antsy." His face so kind and still it would have been damned near impossible to spot the lie.

The woman nodded vigorously. "Yes, I… I'm just sorry I-"

"I should have woken you up," Ellie said, taking up her part. "It was my bad."

"Well," the woman said, starting to calm down at the realization that her job was not about to end. "It's all right, just remember it for next time."

"We'll be sure to," Agent Coulson replied. "Actually, I need to speak with Miss Conner in private," He told her, pulling a manilla folder from his briefcase. "Would you mind running these files to Doctor Banner?"

The woman nodded. She made sure Ellie got back into bed and re-attached several monitors to her skin as a precaution before collecting the file and leaving.

"Thanks for covering for me," Ellie said once the nurse left.

"There are some cases where the full truth isn't necessary," Coulson said, taking a chair and moving it closer to the bed. "And I'd prefer to not work with panicked staff."

Ellie stared. "Was it really that bad?"

Phil Coulson smiled. "Miss Conner, four days ago you had an uncontrollable fever and were shaking violently. Quickly getting down several flights of stairs and having a violent encounter with a Demigod would be enough to panic several of our medical staff into standing guard for "relapse" watch. I don't think you'd wanna be poked anymore right now."

Well, he was right about that. Ellie nodded.

"At any rate," The man began. "I know Director Fury mentioned me before, but I don't think we ever had a proper introduction. My name is Phil Coulson, special agent with S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Fury has assigned me as head your case and while some of my colleagues might think otherwise, I have no intention of babysitting you. My job is to keep you safe, though I have ever confidence you are smart enough to keep yourself out of trouble."

Ellie smiled. For a guy clearly- and perhaps overly- dedicated to his job, it was nice to know he had respect for her.

"That being said, however," Coulson continued. "I'm going to have to ask that what happened tonight doesn't occur again. You are free to move around the Helicarrier as you wish but that privilege can be revoked and I personally don't believe antagonizing Mr. Loki will bring about anything good."

Ellie nodded, her gaze never leaving Coulson's. "I understand."

"Good," Coulson smiled.

"I'm sorry," Ellie said, pulling her knees up under the sheets. "I just had to see him."

"I understand," Coulson said. "Given recent events, Your actions are not irrational. It's just for the best you keep your distance from him."

Ellie nodded. For the time being, she knew she'd gotten all she could have out of Loki and she had no desire to see him again for the time being, especially after his less than subtle hints.

"_ "If those who "saved you" from me even allow for such a thing, It won't take long for the truth to come to light.' "_

"Miss Conner?"

Ellie's attention snapped back to the Agent. "Yeah," she said, shaking her head, trying to eradicate Loki's voice from her mind. "Sorry. Just ran off again."

"The apologizes aren't necessary," Coulson said. "However, if you're in the mood for it, I'd like to take some time to de-brief you on what happened these past two months. If you'd prefer to go back to sleep, I can return in the morning but it is important that we do this soon less we lose details."

Ellie had slept most of the day. Even if she hadn't, after what happened with Loki, the last thing she wanted was to go to sleep with his words blazing in her mind.

"Miss Conner, I understand this must be a painful time for you, but-"

"It's fine," Ellie stopped him. "We can talk now."

"Are you sure?" Coulson asked. He'd always been one to follow procedure, but there were certain elements to take into account.

Ellie nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah," she said. "It's gonna be a long story though."

Phil Coulson reached into his briefcase, removing a pad of paper and a tape recorder. He pulled a pen from his pocket and clicked it once. "I came prepared."

It was around two in the morning when Ellie started to recount her story. The sun was just barely starting to poke it's head out as she finished. It hadn't been clear cut though, Coulson's countless questions had added at least another hour to their session. Eventually, however, Ellie finished her recount of the past two months.

"Is there anything else you'd like to make note of?" Coulson said once it was clear that Ellie's story was drawing to a close.

She shook her head. "Not that I can think of," She said. "If anything else comes to find, I'll tell you, but for now that's it."

Coulson smiled at her, closing his now completely full note-pad and switching off the tape recorder.

"Thank you very much for your cooperation, Miss Conner." He said, putting both items back in the briefcase. "Myself and S.H.I.E.L.D. appreciate your bravery."

Ellie shrugged. "I didn't really do anything."

"Memories are unpleasant things, Miss Conner," he said. "I appreciate you willingness to recount them for me."

"Will they be of any help?" She asked. "You've already got Loki, I don't know what my memories could do for you."

"Probably a lot more than you think," Coulson said. "At any rate, it's better to be safe than sorry." He held out his hand for her to shake. "Thank you so much for your time, Miss Conner. I'll be back to check on your progress tomorrow."

Ellie smiled a little, shaking his hand. "It's always nice to see a friendly face," she said.

"Have a good…" He looked out a nearby window, catching the sun's first rays coming up. "Get some rest." He said, turning to leave.

"Agent Coulson?"

Coulson stopped, his hand barely on the door knob.

"Will S.H.I.E.L.D. let me go home?"

Coulson turned around. His face was completely still but the small smile that had been there previously had faltered a little.

"Why would you feel you had to ask that?" He said.

"Loki hinted that his little "gift" might keep me from going home," she said softly. "That S.H.I.E.L.D. would keep me here." She looked up at Coulson.

"I've… I've spent two months with a man called "The Trickster" and the "king of lies," she said. "Right now, I'd rather have an honest answer than anything else."

Coulson watched her for a moment, regarding her request. After a moment of silence, he decided, perhaps against his want to give the girl in the bed a few days worth of hope, to give her what she wanted.

"At this point in time," he said, "We're not sure as to the proper course of action. This new discovery about your person has put us in a difficult position. If we can find a safe way to return you home and still keep you from those that might do you or those around you harm, we will do so."

Ellie's eyes never leave his face. "And if you can't?"

"We've yet to decide that as well," he said. "Regardless, any action taken will be in the interest of protecting you and your loved ones."

Ellie's lingers lightly gripped the sheets of her bed. She took her eyes away from Agent Coulson, sitting in silence before talking. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will look after them?"

Coulson nodded. "You have my word."

"Thank you," Ellie looked back up at him, her eyes already starting to shimmer. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

Coulson nods. "We'll need to keep you here for a few more days for medical surveillance. Is there anything I can bring you to make you feel more comfortable? Keep you busy?"

Ellie only half head the question, causing Coulson to repeat it when she didn't answer. She wiped her eyes, considering his question. After a moment, she looked up at him.

"What would be the chances of getting an easel, some pants, some brushes and a few canvases?"

At first, silence followed, Coulson watching Ellie as though trying to decipher wether or not her request was serious. Eventually, however, he recalled his previous meeting with Director Fury. "Oh, right. Visual arts major. You were a painter?"

Ellie smiled. "Still am… I hope. If I haven't lost it. I'm kinda out of practice."

Coulson smiled. "I'll see what I can find. Sleep Well."

Ellie watched Coulson leave, turning over and pulling the covers of the bed up around her as she heard the door close and lock. Though she could vaguely make out the light of the sun coming into the room, she closed her eyes, letting what was left of night lead her into sleep.

When she eventually awoke, she looked over her shoulder to see the halls of the Helicarrier now bustling with people. She rolled over, groaning a little as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Afternoon," A familiar voice greeted her. A shadow soon came over her, earning a smile from her as she looked up.

"Hi, Dr. Banner," she said, sitting up. "How late is it?"

"It's Two-Thirty now," Bruce said, looking at his wrist-watch. "But I'm guessing you needed it. From what I heard, you were up late."

Ellie tried to repress the memories of her previous conversation with Loki. She shook off the last remnants of sleep as she stretched a little. "Yeah. Agent Coulson wanted to talk," she said.

Bruce smiled. "He's on a need-to-know-everything… and I do mean everything, basis."

Ellie shrugged. "Can't blame him if he's dedicated." She moved over a little as Dr. Banner came near,m checking her heartbeat and pulse again.

"Everything sounds good," He said. "If you want, you can probably still make the lunch call in the Cafeteria."

The mentioning of the word "lunch" caused the combination of missing light night's dinner and today's breakfast to quickly hit her stomach.

"If I can trust you'll come back on time," Banner looked at her, his tone soft, but serious. Ellie paused, shifting uncomfortably.

"I guess news travels quick around here," She said.

"Only to those who should know," Banner said. "I just want you to be careful. Besides," He gave her a little smile. "Can't say I can't think of at least two other people on this ship who wouldn't have done the same thing."

Ellie returned the smile, getting up off the bed. "I'll be back in a half-" She stopped, her eyes drawn to sight in a corner of the room. She walked over to it, forgetting for a moment that she'd been talking to Dr. Banner.

The easel and the canvases were piled neatly to the side, a set of fine brushes sat atop a wooden box. Ellie's fingers trembled as she picked up the brushes, examining the bristles. Each one was brand new. Placing them carefully to the side, she opened the wooded box to reveal several tubes of oil paints, a small jar of Linseed Oil and small tub of brush cleaner. Dr. Banner smiled.

"Phil left those for you earlier," he said. "You were still out cold when he arrived."

Ellie closed the box, hugging it tightly to her chest as the tears came to her eyes. Eventually, she placed the box down and turned back to Bruce.

"Dr. Banner," She said softly, rubbing her eyes. "How much do you know about Agent Coulson?"

"'Bout as much as everyone else," he said. "And "Bruce" is fine, Ellie."

Ellie smiled. "Okay, Bruce, what do you know?"

"Level Seven clearance, strangely attached to and unfazed by his job," Bruce chuckled. "And is probably Cap's biggest fan."

"Cap?"

"'Captain America," Bruce told her. "Steve Rogers."

Ellie recalled the young blonde-haired sitting at the table yesterday. The one Mr. Stark had introduced as "The Walking American Flag."

"Rumor has it Phil's got almost every piece of Captain America memorabilia on the planet," Bruce said, double-checking a few computer screens. "You should have seen him on the day Steve arrived. I don't think anyone's ever seen him smile so much. Genuinely, I mean."

Ellie looked back at the painting supplies before going back over to the bed and slipping on her shoes. "Do you know where I could find Mr. Rogers?"

"Eh," Bruce pulled his eyes away from the screen, looking back at his watch. "You might be able to catch him in the Caf, if not, I'd check the gym. Why?"

Ellie smiled. "Just curious. I'll be back in forty-five minutes." She head for the door.

"Forty-Five minutes!" Bruce called back. "I'll have the other guy come get you if you're late."

Ellie waved back to him as she started down the hall.

"Mr. Rogers?"

Steve turned away from his punching bag, eyeing the young woman standing at the other end of the room.

"Miss Conner!" Steve smiled, wiping his brow on a nearby towel. "Good to see you, come on in!"

Ellie walked quickly into the gym, her eyes catching the strangely long row of punching bags set up on the floor.

"How are you doing?" Steve's voice pulled her away from the scene. "I take it Dr. Banner knows you're here?"

Ellie smiled at him. "Yes, he does. I'm doin' better, I guess. Still a little…" Given her unique circumstance, she wasn't sure exactly what the proper word to describe it was.

Steve seemed to understand her silence, accepting her answer. "Right." He nodded. "So, how can I help you."

Ellie's eyes gleamed. "I have a favor to ask."

Steve stared at her, the silence following their conversation doing nothing to help Ellie's uncertainty.

"I don't think I've ever gotten a request like that." He said.

"It'd just be for an hour." She said quickly. "Half an hour, even! I'd just need to do some primary sketches and color matching."

Steve regarded her for a moment. "You really think he'd like it?"

Ellie nodded. "I hope so. If I don't botch it up, at least."

The Captain smiled. "I doubt that." He stood up. "One hour. And I wanna see the finished product before you give it to him."

"Yes, sir!" Ellie nodded. "Thank you so much!"

"When would you like to start?"

"Would now be too soon?"

Since there had been no direct call from Fury about a threat and Selvig still hadn't popped up on the map, Steve decided it could't hurt to give Ellie a little more time to work on her project. He knocked on her door a couple hours later, stepping inside to view a room that looked like it had been split in two. One side had was as clean and spotless as it had been when they had first brought Ellie to stay there. The other side was something of… well mess was too clean a word.

Ellie had laid down several layers of newspapers where she'd set up her easel to catch the drops of paint that had fallen from her brushes. A special stand had been set up, displaying the centerpiece of her painting and several tubes of paint lay here and there along a plastic covering she'd set up over her bed. Ellie herself was dressed in what Steve took to be pant clothes and already had a few good layers of pant building up here and there. She smiled as she saw him, brushing her cheek a little, giving her skin a new shade of blue.

"Hi!" She said, stepping aside to allow Steve to see her almost finished product. "I was getting worried! You hadn't shown up yet."

Steve smiled. "Nothing of immediate threat at the moment, I thought you might like the extra time."

"I really appreciate it," Ellie smiled. "Perfect timing, actually! What do you think so far? Am I getting the color right so far?"

Steve knew almost nothing about painting. Sure, he knew about the famous painters of history, if only by name but other than that, nothing. He stepped forward to get a better look, amazed at what he saw.

It wasn't as though he was looking at the start of a photo, there were certain areas where the paint element came through, but it wasn't like looking at a painting ether. It felt like an obscure but comfortable blend, where the painting wasn't so real it seamed fake, but it wasn't fake by any means.

The painting was simple enough. His shield lay on its side, propped up against a stack of books which Ellie had started painting in as World War II history books and Captain America comic books. The backdrop was shimmering light, making the shield appear brighter than it was, like the sun was rising over it.

"Is it okay?" Ellie asked, washing off one of her paint brushes and cleaning her hands . "It's gonna be a little while before its finished but, do you think he'll like it?"

Steve turned around, unsure if he was even aware of how to explain what he thought of this painting.

"Woah, when the hell did we let Picasso on board?"

Both figures turned to see a well-dressed and rather impressed Tony Stark pop into the room, a fairly good sized container of fast food in one hand while he loosened his tie with the other. "Hi honey, how was your day?" He asked Steve, placing the box on Ellie's bed and extracting a few french fries to eat.

Steve rolled his eyes. "You wanna explain where you've-"

"Since Pepper received word that the earth is no longer on the path to complete enslavement, she had Fury drag my sorry ass to a B.O.D. meeting. Pretty sure he got a picture too." Tony started in on a large cheeseburger, causing the room to quickly fill with a pungent to some, if not delicious to others, smell.

"Can you please not eat that in here," Steve asked. "It's a medical bay."

"Perfect timing," Tony said. "If I have a heart attack from this I'm in the right place."

"You're messing up a bed that-"

"Van Gogh!" Tony called over. It took Ellie a moment before he realized he was addressing her. "You mind if I eat in here?"

Ellie blinked, eventually giving a half smile and shaking her head. "Not really."

"There, problem solved," Tony said, smiling, reaching into to the container and tossing Ellie a wrapped up burger. "Figured you might one some home cooking. How long did that take?" Tony asked, taking another bite of his own burger and stepping over the mess of newspapers to get a good look.

"Bout two and a half hours," Ellie said, unwrapping and starting in on her own snack. Ellie did get fast food very often, but every now when she did, it tasted like heaven. This was one of those times. "Just wanted to get a few basic coats down, see if I could start some blending in before it dried and work on some of the details."

"This for Agent?" Tony asked. "He's gonna flip when he sees it. Make sure to have Capsicle sign it when it's done, he'll roll over and-"

"Stark," Steve interrupted him. "Come on. Only the artist-"

"Actually," Ellie said. "That's not half bad an idea!"

"I'd call it more than half-"

"Would you mind signing it once I finish?" Ellie asked Steve, cutting Tony off.

Steve looked from the painter to the painting and back again before shrugging. "Sure, if you'd like me too."

"Make sure to have a camera going when you give it to him," Tony said. "That thing will go viral faster than a cat in a box."

Steve raised an eyebrow.

"Any word on Selvig?" Tony asked, stepping back over to extract a few more fries.

"None," Steve said. "But Dr. Banner's keeping us up-to-date."

"Any word from Scar downstairs?"

Steve stared again, confused.

"What, Fury never showed you "Lion King?" Wow you're behind."

"Nothing really," Ellie said suddenly. She took another bite of her burger. "I heard He's staying quiet for now."

"Well if he's got nothing to say then he can spare us his BS," Tony said. "I'm gonna check in with the big-"

"Stark!" Steve said warningly.

"With Dr. Banner and I'll check back later. Remember. Camera, I want footage of that."

Ellie nodded. "Thanks for the Burger, Mr. Stark."

"Oh, sweetie, please, for you, it's Tony." Tony smiled before nearly vanishing out the door. Ellie smiled, finishing her burger.

"Is he always like that?" She asked.

"Sadly, yes," Steve said. "It does look great though." He gestured back to the painting. "I'm sure Agent Coulson will love it."

Ellie nodded. "Thank you. Once It's dry, I'll have you sign it… if you want to, of course, I-"

Steve stopped her. "Don't worry about it. I'd love to. Do you still need-"

"Oh! Nope," Ellie shook her head, going over and getting the shield off of the make-shift mount she'd set up. "I've got everything I need, thanks a lot again."

"No problem." Steve said, collecting his shield from her. "Will i see you at dinner?"

"If my body can handle the fact that I just ate a burger half the size of my head then yep!" Ellie said.

Steve smiled, giving her a little wave before taking off, leaving her alone to finish her art.

Eventually, the painting was finished and Ellie presented it to an amazed Steve Rodgers and a rather dumbstruck Tony Stark who for once didn't have a witty quip to make about it. A painting and a photo blended almost seamlessly together, if that were possible. Not too fake nor too real, with color that seemed to add an extra layer of life to it, like the joy in the eyes of a puppy being petted. Ellie had experimented with many painting styles in her school years, but this was the one she loved the most. The one she'd really been able to find herself in and produce her best work.

At least she thought so… or hoped so.

"What do you guys think?" She asked.

"Do you charge for this?" Tony eventually asked, finding his voice.

"Uh," Ellie paused. "I, uh, no one's ever asked me that before." Ellie had competed in art competitions in college, but painting commissions, especially for college students were one in infinity at best. Ellie hadn't even met a painter who'd gotten a commission. "No… I'm not sure?"

"Stark, I believe Miss Conner has better things to do with her time and efforts than painting a picture of you to hang over your mantle."

"At any rate…" Ellie smiled nervously, trying to cut off the tension before an unwanted argument broke out. "I'm glad it turned out okay. I really wanted the colors to pop."

"Mission accomplished," Steve said, earning a smile from her. Elle turned back to her pallet, dipping a small paintbrush into a tiny dollop of black paint.

"Would you still up for signing it?" Ellie asked, looking back at the Captain.

Steve shook off his annoyance with Tony and reached for the brush. "If you think he'll like it that much."

Ellie nodded excitedly. "I think so."

"And you're feeling well?"

"Yep," Ellie nodded.

"Nothing of any change I should note to Director Fury?"

"Nothing that I can think of," Ellie said. "You might wanna check with Bruce when he gets back, though."

"I'll be sure to do that," Phil Coulson smiled at her. "Any side trips?"

Ellie managed a little smile, shaking her head. "No."

"Good," Coulson nodded. "I'm glad to see Mr. Stark hasn't rubbed off on you too much."

Ellie snorted. "No, not yet."

Coulson rose to go. "Then I guess I will see you tomorrow, Miss Conner."

Ellie nodded. "Yeah, I- OH WAIT!" Ellie scrambled out of bed, amazed that her sudden act had caused no change in the agent's facial expression. "I have something for you!" Ellie made her way over the bed, picking up the now dry canvas. She held it behind her back.

"I just wanted to say thank you for the paint set… and for having my back a few days ago." She held the painting out to him. "And for just being sweet.

Both Ellie and Tony's assumptions had not been wrong. Coulson's face, as Tony had captured it on his camera phone, resembled that of a five-year old boy being given a pet dinosaur on his birthday. For a second, his calm demeanor seemed to melt away into that of a happy human being… with a great love, of course. He took it in his hands, staring at it.

I hope you like it," Ellie said softly. "I heard you were a fan of Captain America."

Phil didn't say anything. He didn't have to. For that one moment, the joy in his eyes could have rivaled the power of the sun.

The happy moment passed however, once Phil caught sight of Tony texting the photos to everyone in the S.H.I. . helicarrier and for the following half hour, Tony had to flee for his life from a heavily armed… though still strangely smiling Phil Coulson.

The following days for Ellie aboard the Helicarrier were pleasant, if uneventful. Bruce and Phil came by every few hours just to check on how she was fairing and if her health was looking good, though even Bruce admitted the medical checks were almost unnecessary now since she seemed to be back to normal on all health accounts. Still, Phil insisted, since no one was certain on exactly what effects Loki's "gift" would have on her physical body.

Apart from the thought of Loki, though, Ellie didn't mind. It was always nice to have someone to talk to and even when they were quiet, having another presence in the room just put her in a contented and comfortable state.

Not to mention every time she saw Bruce he gave her a certain smile. One that seemed to come from both him and the big guy.

"It'll all be fine."

Part from them, Ellie had a couple visitors, but not many. Steve Rogers stopped by every now and then to say hello, but didn't stick around to chat much. Tony Stark was the complete opposite, of course. When he wasn't with Bruce looking for the Tesseract he was with Ellie, ether talking about some kind of entertainment event or constantly asking her when the rest of the Avengers were gonna receive their "Thank you" gifts for rescuing her.

Phil made Stark apologize for the comment shortly after her caught Ellie starting to paint Iron Man in mid flight. As Phil dragged him from the room, Tony could make out the "thumbs-up" Ellie was giving him, a promise she'd finish it eventually.

Other than that, Ellie spent most of her time ether painting, resting, reading, exploring the open levels of the Helicarrier, or eating in the caf. Sometimes she'd go down to the gymnasium to walk around the track for a bit, but other than that, there wasn't much else to do.

Well, no. That technically wasn't true. Ellie did have one other visitor. Someone who always brought a smile to her face.

Ellie was grateful for Agent Barton's visits. He's stop by at least once a day, sometimes twice for a quick hello if there wasn't anything of dire importance happening. Normally they'd just sit and talk to each other themselves, about their lives before Loki. Clint talked about his circus days and when he first joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Ellie talked about her years at college and her family. Sometimes they'd talk about what went on down in Loki's lair, but mostly their talks were focused on themselves. For the first few days, Clint came to visit Ellie in her room, but soon after, Ellie saw Clint in the Helicarrier's gymnasium, practicing his shooting. On his eighth bulls eye, Ellie clapped. Clint heard the noise and turned to her. He smiled, shaking his head a little as he watched her approach.

"You're easily impressed," he said.

Ellie shrugged a little. "I'm pretty sure a bulls eye eight times in a row isn't easy."

"Is for me," Clint said simply.

"That doesn't make it any less awesome." Ellie pointed out with a child-like smile.

"You keep talking' like that, little lady, you're gonna give me an ego," Clint gave her a little grin and returned to his shooting, the room falling silent for a moment.

This hadn't been the first time Ellie had watched Clint practice. She'd seen it several times when he'd still been under Loki's power. When Clint had been asked to watch her, he'd sometimes bring her to the training room Loki had designated for him to practice in. She'd watch him shoot bullseye after bullseye until one day he offered to let her try her luck. He'd shown her the proper way to hold a bow, fire an arrow and while her first lesson had been going well- she lacked the skills of her mentor but had still been able to hit the target - it soon became her only lesson. Loki had walked in on them, infuriated that Clint would even think of such an idea.

_"FOOLISH MORTAL!" Loki's voice rang in Clint's head. "You were to watch her, not arm her! What if she'd harmed herself or you?"_

Clint could still feel Loki's hand sharply crack across his cheek.

Ellie looked down at her feet for a second. "You know," she said after a minute. "I never thanked you."

Clint released another arrow before looking back at her, he shook his head, believing he knew what was to come. "You've thanked us plenty of times."

Ellie shook her head, "No, Not for the rescue. For you. For looking after me down there."

Clint paused, letting the silence pass between them before he took up another arrow. "You took pretty damn good care of yourself, I think. You didn't need me."

Now it was Ellie's turn to look confused. "You were there for me down there. You were the only person I could talk to."

"I was dead weight, I only stood in your way." Another bulls eye. "You kept yourself going, it didn't matter what I did. You survived on your own."

"You were still there for me." Ellie said.

"What was there for you was a shell," Clint said, pulling out another arrow. "And I still helped cause all this.

Ellie's confusion melted into sadness. "Agent…. Clint, You know I don't blame you."

"It doesn't matter." Clint's voice was sharp, sharper than he would have liked. He took a deep breath, trying to quell the fire in him. He lowered his bow, turning to look at the young woman.

"Ellie, I was trained by S.H.I.E.L.D's best. Expected to be one of S.H.I.E.L.D's best. We endured every torture, every technique under the sun to train our minds to stay sharp. I don't want you to take this the wrong way," He turned, keeping his gaze locked with hers. "But out of the two of us, I should have been the one with a clear mind. I should have been able to help you, get you out of that place." Clint swallowed. "I should have been able to keep him from giving you that potion."

Though she didn't take offense, the comment disturbed her.

"I wouldn't have expected you to do that. Under Loki we could only do so much."

Clint closed his eyes. "I should have been able to do more."

Clint seemed inconsolable. He truly blamed himself for all this. But Ellie wondered, perhaps, if she hadn't been there, would he still be this hard on himself? If an innocent had not been involved, would he be willing to let go? Everything he'd done was by Loki's command.

Still, Ellie knew if she'd been in the same place, she'd never have been able to forgive herself.

Still, she wasn't going to let Clint beat himself up about this. Or, at the very, very least, she could try to make him feel better.

"If it makes you feel any better," she started. "I don't think S.H.I.E.L.D holds "being able to resist intense supernatural magic" on its expectation for its agents list."

Clint smirked a little, laughing under his breath. She sounded just like Natasha.

"If that's the case," He said. "You'd have made a good agent," he said.

Ellie shook her head. "I don't think I have the physical prowess S.H.I.E.L.D is looking for."

"Nah," Clint said. "You should have seen Natasha when she first came in. Swizzle Stick."

Ellie shook her head, now smiling with him. "I'm gonna say that's a lie."

Clint shrugged. "Fine," he strung another arrow. "Think what you want." Another bulls eye. To play it up, he yawned dramatically as though board already. Ellie gave him a playful shove which Clint happily returned.

They both froze.

It was the first time Ellie had touched Clint without the fear of Loki's wrath coming down on them. The first time they'd been able to stand in each others company and laugh, feel contented.

They first time they could really look at each other as allies. As friends.

Clint looked down at his bow, regarding it as he recalled the sting of Loki's palm on his face.

Funny. It didn't feel that bad anymore.

He held out his bow to Ellie, watching her instinctively step back.

"Come on," Clint said. "Let's pick up where we left off."

Ellie stared at the bow, the memory of that day obviously still fresh in her mind as well. She looked it over, reaching out to let her fingers feel the curve again. She looked up at Clint.

"You're sure?"

Clint gave a smile. "We're not living under his shadow anymore. And if nothing else, I feel I owe you this."

"You don't-"

"Stop," Clint stepped forward. His face was still, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "Let me do this for you, Ellie. If there was anything that might make me feel better, it's this."

Trapped. Ellie knew he knew she wanted to make him feel better. Giving him a smile, she picked up the bow."

"Nice," Clint smiled, watching the arrow hit right outside of the bulls eye. "You didn't loose what I taught ya."

"You're a great teacher," Ellie said, going over to collect the arrows.

"Fury wants me to give classes, but-" A buzzing noise made him pause in his sentence. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, flipping it open. "Yeah?"

Ellie watched him quietly as she returned with the arrows.

"I'll be there, sir," Clint said, closing the phone. He gave Ellie a half smile. "Duty calls. Can I count on you same time tomorrow?"

Surprise crossed Ellie's face.

"What?" Clint asked, taking his bow from her. "You didn't think this was a one time deal, did you?" He picked up his duffle bag and quiver. "Work on your posture and arm position. Tomorrow at three, yeah?"

After a moment of silence, Ellie smiled, nodding at the offer. Clint gave her a wave and headed for the door. Ellie turned back to collect and put away the arrows.

"He's a great teacher."

Ellie nearly jumped a foot in the air at the voice, seeming to have come from nowhere. Eventually, collecting herself and making sure her heart had not exploded, she turned to see her addresser coming in from another door, passing through to meet up with her companions.

"Can't stay awake during one of Coulson's presentations to save his life, but he can help anyone handle a bow."

Ellie stared at the beautiful, red-haired woman, almost in awe of her. Beauty, intelligence, cunning, danger, it radiated off of her like a perfectly mixed perfume. This was not a woman to mess with.

Ellie thought back to the previous times she'd seen Natasha Romanov in the Helicarrier. Now that she thought about it, she had seen her hanging out a lot with-

Uh Oh.

Ellie's face turned a bright shade of red as she dropped all of the arrows, recalling that she was standing before a woman who had taken Agent Barton down with a pretty nasty kick to the head.

"Ms. Romanov," Ellie said, quickly, fearing the worst, "I swear what you just saw-"

"Slow down or you'll pass out," Natasha said, giving her a small grin, going over and picking up a few of the arrows. She handed them to Ellie.

"I know what I saw," She said, simply. "A good archery Lesson."

Ellie blinked, still uncertain if she was on rocky terms or not.

"Make sure he stays next time," she said. "You shouldn't be picking up his stuff." She turned to go.

'MIss Romanov," Ellie started, "I-"

"Natasha is fine," She said back.

"I wasn't-"

"I never thought you were."

Ellie paused as Natasha turned back to her.

"You're a nice girl, but you know what they say about "assuming"." She said with a smile. "I owe Clint my life. He's my partner and my friend… and I'm out to think you feel the same way."

After a moment, Ellie nodded.

"If I'd thought you'd posed any harm of any kind to Clint, I'd have kicked you off the Helicarrier myself." She said. "That's what I worry about. Make sure to keep your elbow a little lower, you're raising it too high." She turned to go. "I'll see you around."

Ellie remained still for a moment. An hour later, she still wasn't sure what had just happened.

Three days later, the news arrived. The Tesseract, Dr. Selvig and the rest of Loki's men had ben located. The spell had been lifted and they were being flown to the Helicarrier. A war against humanity had been avoided, and while everyone celebrated, at least nine people onboard the Helicarrier had a separate question running through their minds.

What would happen to Ellie Conner?

Director Furry had called a meeting to take place around seven that evening; he knew the celebration over the Tesseract's retrieval would have finished by then. A meeting strictly for the Avengers and those closest to Ellie. An unsettling consensus fell over the team.

No one had come to Ellie's aid. Those who cam forward ultimately had been too scared or too shady to be trusted. The only one who had come close to truly aiding her was Professor Charles Xavier, but he had his school to think of and his with Mutant abilities still aged and even those who didn't had a form of protection or were careful enough to make their way through the world completely unnoticed. Ellie was smart but an unchanging physicality would always be noticeable one way or another. Unless Ellie became a master of masks and make-up.

No. S.H.I.E.L.D. already had one problem like that on their hands, they didn't need another.

Any way presented, Ellie was on her own.

Thor had been sitting in his given chambers when he received the news, an uneasiness settling over him. The fate of this young woman weighed heavily on him, seeing how his brother had brought it upon her. The options for her were few and far between. Even if she had been able to walk the earth freely and in safety… who wished to see everyone and everything around them age and die while they remained young?

Why did his brother wish to torture her so? What joy did to bring him?

Thor gritted his teeth, he would not allow his brother's act upon this young woman to bring her nothing but misery. There had to be-

A thought crossed his mind. He'd considered it before but had pushed it aside at it's absurdity. There was no way she would…

Still, it was an option. And they needed quite a few of those now.

Sitting down at a near-by desk, Thor drew out two pieces of paper and a pen. He spent a good hour or so writing before he folded up the pieces of paper and placed them separately in two individual envelopes. Then, he sat quietly, focusing on the though of the roots of Yggdrasil linking the nine realms.

A soft sound brought him from his trace. Before him, on the desk, sat a beautiful, large black raven. Thor smiled, stroking the bird's glorious feathers before tying the two envelops to the bird's leg. Then, just as quickly as the bird had appeared, it vanished.

It returned eventually before Thor knew he had to report to the meeting with Director Fury. It held two large envelopes in its mighty beak. Thor took them from him, giving him a few pieces of bread to peck at while he read the contents of his delivery.

A smile came to his face.

He folded the letters up carefully and, after turning to see that the beautiful bird had vanished once again, left his room to see Director Fury.

The room was strangely silent as Nick Fury entered, even lacking the quips and jabs of Tony Stark. Only the director's footsteps could be heard, clicking on the steel floor. He made eye contact with every one of them, a silent greeting. Eventually, he stood before the eight people gathered in the room. He gave a heavy sigh; every one of them was hoping for a different answer than the one he was about to give them. But Nick Fury had never been one to perpetrate false hope.

"Well," he said, "I have nothing. Every lead came to a dead end. Even Xavier is out." He cleared his throat. "At this point in time, I think-"

"I think you need to keep looking." Tony Stark piped up, sick of the silence. "You've spent, what, a week looking? Nick, you can't pick out a car in a week, how the hell do you think you're gonna find a place to put her."

"With the Tesseract found-"

"Oh, so because we find some magic rubix cube suddenly we gotta ship her off to a cell?" Tony asked.

"Mr. Stark, you know-"

"You know what, Phil, I really don't give a crap right now!" Tony stood up. "This girl just went through hell and you're telling me she's gotta live in an isolation tank for the rest of her life?"

"She wouldn't be isolated, Mr. Stark," Natasha said, though she didn't sound to thrilled about it either. "We have to consider the possible safety-"

"Key word, Agent romanoff, 'possible'." Tony said. "We're talking about something that might never happen! She should be free to go!"

"And what happens if it becomes a reality, Stark?" Director Fury asked. "What happens if those people out there who would give their souls to discover the secret of her power get ahold of her. Sure, they might not be able to tap it, but what happens to her? Torture, blackmail? And what happens if they do crack the secret. You want an immortal Obadiah Stane walking around, Stark?"

The rage in Tony's eyes doubled.

"You think I like this?" Fury pushed. "You think I LIKE having to make this call? Putting her away to keep her safe you don't think I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!?"

The room fell even more silent that before, everyone staring at the two men up front.

"I'd give my other eye to see her walk out of here today, right now." Fury said. "But I can't. Not for her sake. We're all out of options."

"No, we are not."

Everyone turned to Thor, watching him stand up, holding out two letters.

"We have one more option."

"Come in!" Ellie called, adding a touch of light pink to the side of the painting as the knock sounded. She heard the door open and close and she wiped off her paint brush.

"How's it-" Ellie stopped as she turned around, seeing a man a good ten to eleven feet taller than her. His long golden hair spread out over his shoulders. He stood without his long red cape on, but just looking at him made Ellie feel as big as a mouse. Still, she smiled.

"Oh… Hi," She said.

He gave a slightly bow. "A good evening to you, Miss Ellie."

Ellie blushed a little. "Oh, Um… you cam just call me Ellie."

"As you wish," he said. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Oh!" Ellie shook her head. "No, no, I was just… working for a bit."

Thor nodded, looking over towards the easel that had been set up, a canvas sitting on top of it. A half-finished painting caught his eye. He stepped forward a little, regarding it. Eventually, he smiled back at her.

"It's a very good likeness." He said. "I'm impressed."

Ellie stared at him, mouth agape. "How did you…"

Sir Fury showed us his picture. You captured him very well from memory."

Ellie closed her mouth, looking back at the picture. Her eyes softened a little and she lost a part of her smile. "I didn't wanna forget what he looked like."

"Were you two close?" Thor asked, gently.

Ellie shook her head. "Not really. But he was willing to risk his safety… risk everything so he could know who I was. Not just a girl in a pretty dress." She smiled. "I guess he kinda reminded me that I had a real name."

"He must of been a man of honor," Thor said.

"Yeah," Ellie said, looking at the painting, "I think he was." She looked back up at Thor. "So… I take it this is about… Where I'm heading next, right?"

"You would be right." Thor said, gesturing for her to have a seat. Ellie put her brushes down and removed her smock before sitting on the edge of her bed. She offered Thor a chair, but he declined politely.

"Director Fury has searched for someone willing and reliable enough for you to live under given your situation."

Ellie sighed, bracing herself. "Did he find someone?" She asked, holding onto whatever thread of hope she could.

"No, I am afraid not."

Ellie lowered her head, reality starting to sink back in. She thought about living the rest of her life in one place, never being allowed to go outside. She'd be in another cell. True, it would be a better cell and she'd have more respect as a human being… but it was still a cell. She couldn't go home, couldn't communicate with anyone.

For a moment, she wondered if it would have been better if they'd never found her. Then, she recalled Henry, struggling to get to her as she collapsed into Loki's arms. No… even another cell would be better than a life with Loki.

"However…"

Ellie's eyes snapped open, lifting her head to meet Thor's gaze.

"There is a matter I wish to speak to you of," He said. "In a few days, my brother and I shall be returning home, to my own world of Asgard."

Ellie nodded. She'd heard Loki speak of Asgard once. It sounded so beautiful, she had no idea why he'd ever want-"

"You are welcome to come with us."

Ellie's heart stopped.


	5. Chapter 5

(N/A: Rated M for language and MEGA KUDOS to Kelly and Jenn for the idea for the "Hunger Games" Joke. GO LOVE THEM! Oh! And a HUGE, Mega, MEGA thanks to GuenVanHelsing For Beta reading this chapter for me and giving me some awesome lines. Most, if not ALL of the Loki & Thor scene is due to her awesomeness! THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU'RE AWESOME! And thank you to all my watchers and reviewers! :D YOU'RE LOVELY!

Ellie wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at him, her mind processing everything… everything she could, that is. Thor was… offering to take her to Asgard?! A mythical- no, not mythical, real. A real world beyond her own? She sat down on her bed, taking a few breaths, looking up at him after a moment.

"Are… Are you for real?" She asked.

Thor's puzzled expression made her change her statement.

"Do you really mean this?"

Thor nodded, continuing softly. "I have spoken to my father and mother, the king and queen of Asgard, of your dilemma. As far as they see, Lady Ellie, you have been wronged by a Prince of Asgard."

Prince… Right, Loki. He'd actually been a prince… or was, perhaps. But if he'd been a prince, why hadn't he stayed in his kingdom? Ellie knew their had to be reasons, but if he'd been hailed as royalty, why would he want to leave?

"They extend a welcoming hand to you and if you choose to come with us, you are welcome to stay with us as long as you wish."

Ellie stared at him carefully, listening to every word, processing it as best as she could before the questions came to mind. "Where would I stay?"

"In the palace of Asgard," Thor said. "There are many rooms available. Whichever one you wished would be yours."

"Would… would I have to pay rent or anything?"

Another puzzled expression.

"Would I have to compensate you or your family?" Ellie clarified. "I'm not sure how quickly I could get-"

"Of course not!" There was something akin to a laugh in his voice. "Dear Ellie, you would be a guest if the king. He's more than willing to have you stay. You'd have no need to pay anything. Even if you wished to, I'm sure he would not accept it. If you do wish to give something in return," he looked over at the paintings laying out to dry. "Asgard does have a love for the arts."

Ellie managed a small smile. She looked down at her shoes, fiddling with her fingers.

"If I went… I couldn't come back to earth, could I?" She asked. Thor shook his head.

"No, with our methods of transport ant currently limited, I don't believe you'd be able to return to Midgard. And even if it were possible, there is your safety to take into account."

Ellie knew his answer would be negative, but there was no harm in asking. That was when her other question came to mind.

"And… Loki?" She asked.

Now it was Thor's turn to watch her. After a moment, he spoke again. "Loki is to be tried for his crimes against Midgard as well as Jötunheimr."

"Jötunheimr?" Ellie asked.

"Another realm on which Loki has caused a great deal of damage. Though, in truth, I am guilty of the same crime to an extent. He will face justice for those he has harmed on Midgard and the crimes he has committed."

Ellie felt the fear strike her again. "What if he…" She knew it was unlikely, but again, better to question than to assume. "What if he is found innocent?"

Thor closed his eyes. "If you would be willing to provide testimony, I swear that would not be the case."

Ellie's eyes went wide. Testifying!? Against Loki?

Thor saw her terror, stepping forward. "Miss Ellie, your words are not required. Sadly, there is more than enough evidence. Even if, by some hand of fate he was found innocent, I swear he would be kept from you. Nor I Nor my father shall allow him to come near you again without you wishing for it to be so."

Ellie looked down at her hands, thinking back to everything Loki had said to her before. "Could you… could you really keep him away from me?" She asked, softly. "For certain?"

Silence.

"I will do whatever I can to keep him from you," he said.

Honesty. Ellie appreciated that. Now it came down to the choice. Locked away safe and sound with S.H.I.E.L.D. with constant guards to keep Loki from her, if they could, but no life to live… or travel to a new world where magic reigned. Create a new life for herself, even if Loki was there. Neither choice compared to going home, but Ellie knew one thing above all else.

She needed to be free to truly live.

Silence stood between the two brothers for quite some time, one wishing the other would speak and the other enjoying his "sibling's" rare silence. When he felt his brother could stand the horrific, torturous pain of waiting no longer, he spoke.

"You come to me so late, Thor," Loki smiled, flipping another page of his book and not deigning to look up at his brother's entrance to the room. "What brings you here?"

Thor could feel the smugness dripping off his brother. "We found the Tesseract," he said, bracing himself for his brother's reaction; already he could feel the room turning cold, but Loki did not turn to him.

"So I've been told, or taunted I should say. Tell Fury his guards are annoying if nothing else. What else brings you to me, Thor. Ether answer me or leave."

"Brother, do you feel no remorse for-"

"Answer my question or leave, Odinson," Loki's voice was sharper now.

"Loki," Thor lowered his head sadly. "Feel what you wish, but you are my kin… and I love you and I always shall."

"Touching," Loki smiled, closing his book. He would not get any reading done while Thor was talking. He stood up. "Continue." He knew there was more, otherwise the Asgardian would have already left.

"I love you… but that does not exclude you from justice, Loki! You must pay for your crimes. We return to Asgard in two days time…" Thor glanced away for a moment, then back to Loki, "…and Miss Ellie will be joining us."

Now he had Loki's full attention. The god of Chaos placed his book on a nearby desk, approaching the glass a little.

"Is that so?" Loki's smile grew tenfold. "Did you write the All-father for this opportunity? And he believed it wise to bring her to my captive realm? Oh, fool that he-"

"Loki, How dare-"

"I will speak as I wish, Brother!" The word was soaked with venom. "Perhaps he was YOUR father… but his love was never mine. It lay with only one child, one God of Thunder. Oh, how you must have made him proud. Allowing these mortals to battle and die! And now he's agreed to have the girl your companions have so deeply sworn to keep from me-"

"You will be locked away, Loki! Even if you are found innocent, you'll never be allowed near her!"

"Locks and closed doors will not keep me from what is rightfully mine," Loki said.

"Magic will," Thor retorted. Loki released a chuckle.

"There is no magic to rival mine," he said. "Within an hour's time I will escape and come for her."

Thor looked into his brother's eyes. "Our mother's magic rivals yours."

Loki's smile faded, Frigga coming to his mind and heart, and he tore his gaze from his brother's, hating himself for that small act of indecision but unable to stop himself. Eventually he managed to pull his thoughts together, and he looked back to Thor. "Mother is as powerful as I," He said. "But I have secrets even she does not know."

It warmed Thor's heart a little to know Loki still held Frigga as his mother. At least something had not changed.

"Even mother, with all her great wisdom and power, can not keep me from her." There was no sarcasm in his voice, no anger. Thor lowered his head.

"Loki… release this hold you have on her," Thor's voice became soft, almost pleading. "What wrong has she done to you brother? Let her go."

"She's done me no wrong nor caused me harm," Loki said, looking down at his palm. He opened it a little, his magic conjuring a beautiful yellow flower. "But she was born to belong to me," he said, closing his palm and trapping the flower in his hand. "Not even you can keep her from that fate."

"Brother, you're speaking madness!" Thor said, his tone growing. "You speak as though she were a toy, a mere doll for you to play with."

"Do not lower her, brother!" Loki snarled. "And do not make me the fool! She is no plaything."

"Then what is she to you‽" Thor nearly cried, desperate to reach his brother. "You have taken everything from her! She has no home, Loki, no family, no friends. You have robbed her of everything she's ever loved, and yet you claim to see her as anything but your sick version of a toy‽"

"Toys can easily be discarded, Thor," Loki eyed his brother. "Or do you not remember that? I recall you throwing away quite a few." Thor looked as though he was about to rage, but Loki's voice stopped him. "No! I saw you take and disregard many women in your young age, brother."

"Loki, I-"

"But I will NEVER throw her away. Think of the gift I have given her, Thor! She, a child, able to resist the draw of the Tesseract, I have given her life eternal!"

"And in doing so taken all she loves!" Thor said.

"And so I shall be there to guide her, protect her."

"She wants nothing to do with you, Loki! " Thor said. "Why follow after one who feels nothing for you!?"

"Do you wish to answer that yourself, Odinson?" Loki asked, raising a eyebrow.

Thor fell silent.

"For the time being, I have lost Midgard," Loki said. "But there will always be somewhere, something, one essence in the universe that is mine alone. Hide her all you wish, Thor. I will find her in the end."

Thor lowered his head, defeat and sadness creeping through him. Eventually though, he lifted his head, looking at his little brother, watching him carefully, searching for something, anything…. Eventually, he found it. It was small, but it was there. He spoke gently.

"Loki," He said. "Even in Asgard, few maids drew your gaze. And those to who did were only there because you wished for pleasures of the flesh-"

"How is that different from you, Thor?" Loki turned away.

"THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME!" Thor snapped, causing Loki to stop. "Loki," his voice became gentler again. "I know you did not touch her in such a way. And if all you wished for was pleasure then she would not still be here. Why keep her as you do?"

Loki did not turn back to his brother.

"Because she is mine, Odinson," Loki said. "And if I can not have a kingdom, then I shall have her."

Thor closed his eyes, his brother could not be reached now. Eventually, he stepped away from the glass. "A pleasant night to you, brother." With that, Thor turned and left. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Loki return to his book, but his movements seemed a little slower, more thoughtful.

Perhaps…

No. He could not be sure. He left the containment cell and returned to the meeting room. Everyone was still there, caught in a collective, deafening silence. Thor sighed.

"She's agreed to come."

Nick Fury nodded once, turning to Natasha and Steve who both held themselves in quiet acceptance. Bruce sighed, but made no objection. Clint lowered his head. The two Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. said nothing though it was obvious Coulson was a little disappointed.

Tony Stark stood up from his chair and left the room without a word. Thor went to follow, but Fury held him back.

"There's nothing he can do," he said.

"Miss Ellie made this choice of her own will, he shouldn't-"

"It's not her," Fury said simply. He stepped away over to Agent Coulson, hoping to start preparing everything.

"You know she lives at the end, right?"

Loki's eyes rose up from the book. He'd heard the door to the room open, yet he'd barely given it little more than a moments notice, figuring it was a guard coming to bring him his evening meal or another S.H.I.L.E.D. Agent come to try to "talk some common sense into him". he turned to the door, looking right at a very… Well, externally he seemed calm, but there was something blazing behind Tony Stark's brown eyes.

"Pardon?"

"She lives. Katniss." Tony nodded to the book in Loki's hand. "Kinda obvious given the first-person POV, but, it kept my interest. Damn good movie too, you ever see it? Oh, right, probably not. Well, that's a shame. How's everything going, Scar?"

"Scar?" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"OOH!" Tony hissed. "Right, probably haven't seen that one ether. Oh, well, theme the breaks."

"Hmm," Loki managed a small smile. "I suppose peace and quiet tonight will be out of the question."

"Oh, Yeah." Tony nodded. "So, you heard the news. Headed home, new travel buddy, sounds great."

Loki grinned. "In the end, the rescue was all for nothing, wasn't it?"

"Well, if we got you behind bars… well, in this world or any other, who cares? At least your sorry ass isn't walking the streets." Stark took a sip from a water bottle he was holding.

"I meant-"

"Yeah, I know damn well who you meant," Tony said calmly, cutting him off with no remorse. "You and your whole domination thing. Gotta have a pretty lady in there somewhere. But, you know what, I'll cut the crap myself. If I wanted to come down here to berate you, I would've paid Clint to do it. God, I know he wants to drive his talons into you."

Loki smiled. "If you've not come to berate me, Mr. Stark, then tell me why you've chosen to "grace me" with your presence. I'm starting to grow weary of your whining."

"Curse."

"What?" Loki turned to him.

"Curse, not berate. Might be the same thing where you come from, but I figure since berating isn't gonna produce squat from you, I might as well go to the next level."

Loki chuckled. "And how, pray tell, do you intend to curse me? With your crude mortal tongue? Your language irritates more than wounds."

"Uh, No." Tony said, taking the last swig from his water bottle. "Again, curse, not berate. I could sit here for four hours and relay to you over and over again exactly how much of an asshole you are, but I'm not gonna waste either of our time."

"I see your failing at that already," Loki said, inspecting his nails. He looked up, rising from his arm chair as he approached the man on the other side of the glass. "Very well, if you're not here to torture my ears with your mortal profanities, why have you come?"

"To curse you," Tony said. "Wish ill on you, if we're gonna be fancy about it. I'm no Harry Potter but by this point, I don't think it matters."

"Curse? As in magic?" Loki clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Now you are wasting my time."

"I don't think so," Tony said, standing up. "Cause, in the long run, I think I'm really gonna enjoy this."

"Really?" Loki said, smiling. "Very well, indulge me. What would you curse me with if you had a single drop of magic in your veins?"

"Easy," Tony said. "I hope you fall in love with Ellie."

Loki's smile vanished.

"Yeah," Tony nodded. "I hope you fall in love with her. Genuinely in love with her. Have you ever spent time with her, outside of the whole "I own you," mentality you have going? Real sweetheart, incredible painter. Now, she's not my type, but you-" He pointed at Loki. "If there IS anything under that Lady GaGa breast plate of yours, if it isn't dead and shriveled and two sizes two small, Mr. Grinch, I can see you liking her. Not even liking her. I hope, I genuinely, if I die now, let it be known, I hope you fall head-over-heals-singing-in-the-rain-west-side-story in love with her."

Loki didn't flinch, but Tony could see the flames burning in his eyes.

"You wanna know why?" Tony continued. "Cause even if we get to armageddon, guess what?" Tony stepped forward, almost nose to nose with the glass. "She's never gonna care about you. She's never gonna like you. She isn't gonna give a damn about what happens to you. And I hope she finds a prince. I hope she finds a prince who the moment he looks at her, he drops to his knees and thanks God that he found a woman like her. And he'd love her more than life itself."

"Silence." Loki hissed.

"And each day they're together is better than the last and every day you see her with him it breaks your heart because you know there is no way in hell she'd ever, ever look at the man who took everything from her-"

"SILENCE!" Loki roared, slamming his fist upon the glass. "Curse me all you want, you insignificant speck of wasted breath, but you can never change her fate. She will NEVER meet such a "prince" and regardless of your pathetic wish, it matters not! She. Is. Mine!"

Tony didn't even flinch. "But even then she'll never love you. Congratulations pal, you bound yourself to the one thing on this planet who'll never give a rat's ass about you. Hell, I'm probably more likely to care about you then she will." Tony shrugged. "Doesn't matter. If I don't get what I want, big deal. I just want her to be happy. Cause then I'll know you'll spend your life rotting away like the miserable mound of trash you are." He turned to go. "See you in the morning, horse fucker


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later, the morning was quiet, calm, not a cloud in the sky. Ellie knew, she'd looked. She'd woken up early, not of her own will, but finding herself unable to go back to sleep, she'd sat on her cot and watched the sky till she couldn't stand the sun's glare anymore. Someone had brought a little breakfast for her. She nibbled, but left it mostly untouched. Eventually, she got up, straighten out her room and changed. Agent Hill had been able to get some new clothes for her. Nothing special, a pair of nice brown pants, a blue shirt and a coat. More traveling clothes than anything else, but Ellie was flattered that she'd taken the time to do that. She looked around the room; in truth, it looked as though she'd never been there. She'd finished up the rest of the paintings she'd started, even though some of them were not as spot on as she'd like them to be and given them to their intended owners. Her favorite one had been a rendition of the S.H.I.E.L.D. icon she'd given to Director Fury. Simple enough, but she'd given it enough detail to make the eagle seem more alive, like a bird ready to strike. Fury had given her a genuine thank you and from what she could gather, a very rare, happy smile.

Around noon, Clint came for her, letting her know it was time to go. She nodded and followed him out to where one of the Helicarior's many quintets had been waiting. There, she said said her good-byes to Agent Hill, thanking her once again for the clothes, Director Fury, thanking him for allowing her to stay on the Helicarrior and Agent Coulson, for just everything in general. None of the good-byes were that long- if Ellie had to guess, she supposed S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were never overly emotional- but they were nice all the same. She followed Clint into the Quinjet and gave everyone one last wave before sitting down.

The trip was short but uncomfortably silent. Barely a word was said between Clint and Ellie, apart from the usual "you cold back there" comment. It was all right though, to be honest. All Ellie could think of was what was to come. What would Asgard be like? What would happen when she got there? Would she even be welcomed by this King Odin? Thor had told her not to worry, but after everything that happened, Ellie wondered if maybe Thor was trying to be gentle with her on purpose.

They landed on a military airfield and after meeting up with Natasha, drove to central park. Again, the ride was fairly silent. Ellie spent most of the time looking out the window at the view, a part of her knowing she would never see it again.

"You scared?" Natasha's voice finally broke through the silence.

Ellie swallowed. "Yeah."

"Don't blame you," She said, pulling into a paved drive through central park. She flashed a badge at a near-by policeman and he waved them through.

"You're gonna be fine, kid," Clint said. "You survived being with Loki, you can survive this."

"I hope so," Ellie though. She smiled at Clint. "Yeah," she said. "I guess I can."

It was a gorgeous day to be in central park. Clear sky, perfect weather, only the slightest nip in the air, nothing strong. Ellie walked with Clint and Natasha to their destination. She stayed close to Clint , noticing a large brown parcel tucked safely under his left arm, but ultimately dismissed it, guessing it was something for Thor. Eventually, the others arrived. Tony and Bruce pulled up soon after, followed by Steve. Little more than a hello was said to anyone. The air grew tense as an armored truck arrived. Clint put a hand of Ellie's shoulder.

"It's okay," he said.

Thor immersed from the back, his hand wrapped tightly around a long metal chain. Ellie's heart stopped.

Loki immersed, his wrists in strong metal chains and a strange muzzle over his mouth. He moved slowly, refusing to look up as Thor pulled him along, eventually letting him go to walk on his own. From the corner of her eye, Ellie could see Selvig immerse from the front. He made eye contact with her, smiling before going to the back to claim something. She could tell he hadn't fully recovered yet.

Clint motioned for her to follow as the group moved towards a designated spot in the park. Only once did Loki look at her. With his mouth sealed, it left only his eyes free to speak. Even in them, there was something there, something appeared at the sight of her. A glowing want, a passionate desire… and something Ellie could not recognize. He lifted his hand slightly, his intention to touch her clear, but Clint stood to guard Ellie and Thor pulled him back.

"Hands to yourself," Stark spoke up, moving in front of Loki. "You try that again, I cut off your hand."

Loki glared violently. He looked back at Ellie once before Thor pushed him along. Ellie shivered a little but Clint motioned for her to keep going.

Eventually, they reached their destination, a small section of Central Park overlooking a calm lake. The day was crisp, though Ellie felt overly warm. She didn't say anything as Bruce helped Professor Selvig with the tesseract, watching him and Thor share a quiet good-bye. Eventually, though, an even heavier silence fell over the group and she felt six pairs of eyes turn to her. She took a deep breath.

Her good-byes between Steve and Natasha were quick, with a good-luck wish and hug shared between each.

"Make sure Clint stays safe, okay?" She asked Natasha. The woman nodded.

"You have my word."

Her good-byes with Bruce and Tony were a little longer. Bruce gave her a final check over and a long hug. Ellie wondered if perhaps he was giving a longer hug for the both of them. She gave him two kisses, one on each cheek.

"One for you," She said. "And one for the big guy."

Bruce turned a light shade of pink.

Tony spent a good minute gushing over Ellie playfully, trying to lighten the mood. It worked a little, but after a minute, it wore thin. Tony gave Ellie a small, but heavy brown leather book bag with her initials burned into it. He told her it was something for the road, but not to open it till she reached Asgard. She hugged him back, thanking him for the burger before hand… and for saving her life. Him and all the Avengers.

Her eyes then fell upon Clint. Steve cleared his throat.

"Come on," he said, softly, motioning for the other Avengers to move away… a little further back at least. Thor even lead Loki away a little. Tony raised and eyebrow at this but followed all the same.

"'Casablanca', much?" He mumbled to Steve. Steve, much to Tony's surprise, seemed to understand.

"Dorothy saying good-bye to the Scarecrow."

Tony wasn't sure what he was more impressed with; The perfection of the reference or the fact that Steve had watched "Casablanca" on his own.

Clint and Ellie simply stared at each other for a minute, both to uncertain to speak. Clint placed the large parcel he was carrying on the ground and stuffed his hands in his pockets. More to delay time than anything else. She came up to him though and, trying to keep her hand from shaking, offered it to him. Clint grinned sadly, knocking it away playfully and putting his arms around her in a tight hug. Ellie reciprocated.

"I hate that I dragged you into this," Said Clint, holding her close. "But I'm glad we met."

"Yeah," Ellie bit her tongue to choke back the tears. She didn't wanna argue with him. Not now. He'd been one of the reasons she'd survived in that horrible place, wether he wanted to admit it or not. Clint gave her another tight hug before stepping back. He leaned down and picked up the parcel, holding it out to her.

"Go ahead," he said.

Ellie took it. For as large as it was, it seemed pretty light. She opened the package… nearly dropping it at the shock, but she recovered quickly and just stared.

The bow was, quite literally, just right for her. Made of, from what she could tell, study, yet light plastic or thin metal. There was a design on it, very lightly carved, making it her own. There was a small quiver as well, filled with arrows. She looked up at him, shaking her head a little as the tears came.

"No, I-"

"It was made for you," Clint said quickly, his voice sturdy though it sounded on a verge of cracking. "I had it crafted to fit your hands. It's no good to me or anyone else at S.H.I.E.L.D. Take it," he said. "And practice there. That's the only requirement for having it. You practice every day, if not as often as you can." Clint's eyes darted to Loki. "And if he comes near you, you use it and plug him in the eye."

Ellie thought it was too nice a gift for her. She thought she didn't deserve it. But she threw her arms around Clint, crying freely now. She didn't want to leave her home, her world. Clint had been her lifeline in that darkened place… and now she didn't even have-

A warm hand fell on her shoulder. She sniffed and looked behind her. Steve was there.

"It's time." He said.

Ellie managed a nod and wiped her eyes. She placed the quiver over her shoulder and held the bow tightly. She gave Clint one last hug and walked over to where Thor and Loki were standing.

"Hold tight to me, Miss Ellie," Thor said. "You will be safe."

Ellie tightly clung to Thor's arm, fearful of what would happen next. She looked back at the five figures standing there, all of them looking at her with strong eyes. Her grip tightened around Thor's arm. She had to be strong, she had to find a way to make it.

If not for herself, then for them.

She closed her eyes, a wave of noise and energy rushed over her.

And they were gone.


	7. Chapter 7

The wind rushing around her came to a halt. The power that had once crashed over them all like a wave died away, leaving the moment one of complete peace. Ellie still clung to Thor's cape, the only sound present was her heart pounding in her ears.

And… waves?

"It is well, Miss Ellie," Thor's voice came through clearly in her personal darkness. "We've arrived."

Ellie opened her eyes and felt her heart stop.

The… well, she wasn't even sure if what she was standing on had a name… but it seemed to be a long road made of multi-colored glass. No, not glass, it seemed to shimmer and move of its own making. Below it, a waving and pulsing body of crystal clear water.

"The Rainbow Bridge," Thor said, looking at her again. "It will take us directly into Asgard."

Ellie lifted her head; her heart exploded inside her chest.

She pulled her eyes away from the platform made of… rainbows and looked up into an endless sky of bright stars that met with a bright golden sun, its light reflecting on a giant ocean spread out around them that lead her gaze up to a kingdom crafted from gold, polished stone, floating metal and bright green trees. Towers standing for miles on end that captured the sun's light in a brilliant glow, making everything appear- as grand as it was- warm and welcoming. A clear sky made of calming blue with bright stars still to be seen. A city built on history, magic, and cultures beyond anything she could have ever imagined. For such a place to exist, it must have lived years in peace and prosperity. Ellie felt cold and hot all at once, questions and comments rushed to her mouth but nothing seemed to get through. She'd never seen anything so beautiful, not even in the art realm. She raced through her mind, searching for something, anything to say that captured the essence of this sight. She felt a squeak, or something akin to it, emerge from her mouth, but little else. Thor smiled at her.

"Once you pass through the gates," he said, "The inside will be even grander."

Ellie didn't want to move, she didn't want to forget the most dazzling sight she'd ever seen.

"The princes return," a deep and powerful voice made them all turn around.

The very end of the road of bright light- that Ellie was still having a hard time convincing herself that she was standing on- was cracked and jagged, as though it had once been much longer and connected on to something bigger. But standing on the edge, looking at them, was a grand man, decorated in gold armor that, to him, seemed to weigh no more than a shirt and a pair of jeans. He held a huge golden sword and stared at the three figures with the brightest yellow eyes Ellie had ever seen. He looked right at Thor.

"Your father is expecting you," he said. "His men will arrive soon to accompany you to the palace." The man's eyes then turned to Loki. He said nothing, but from the expression, even Ellie could tell that he and Loki were not on the best of terms.

"You have much to answer for."

Loki's eyes blazed. Thor stepped forward, trying to defuse the moment.

"It will be dealt with, Heimdall," Thor said. "You have my word. Right now, I have much to discuss with my father."

Heimdall nodded his head a little, his eyes then turning right to Ellie. She swallowed as she looked at him, swearing his eyes were boring right into her soul. It was odd though, he looked at her without any shock at her presence, as though he knew she was coming. He inclined his head to her, very slightly and Ellie did the same in return, though she lowered her head a little more, out of respect.

"You've left behind one home," he said, his voice the most powerful Ellie had ever heard. Though his gaze stayed sharp, his tone softened slightly. "May you find a new one here."

After a moment of silence, she nodded. "Thank you."

An approaching noise pulled her attention away, like growing thunder, but the clear skies diminished that thought. She turned to see a large group of horses of white horses, their riders draped in golden armor, coming towards them. Ellie's heart sped up, but one look at the calm faces of Thor and the man he'd addressed as Heimdall told her it was friends approaching, not enemies. The horses stopped before they got too close, standing very still as they allowed their riders to dismount. All of the men approached Thor, simultaneously dropping to one knee, their fists going right to their hearts.

"Blessings to thee, Prince Odinson," They all chanted. Loki rolled his eyes. Even Thor seemed a to find the greeting a little too extravagant for the moment, but he bit back any rising comment. The head rider rose and approached Thor.

"My Lord," he said. "Your presence on Asgard has once again filled us all with great peace."

"I thank you for that, my friend," Thor said. "Though I wish I were returning home under happier circumstances."

"Indeed," The guard's eyes turned to Loki for a split second. "As instructed-"

"I'll know my father might believe otherwise," Thor gently interrupted him, drawing his gaze. "But I will ride with my brother back to the palace."

The guard blinked. "Sire, I-"

"Think of it not as a slur on your skill," Thor said. "I simply trust no other with this task."

Seeing there was no use in arguing, the guard nodded. "As you wish, my prince."

"For the time being," Thor's gaze went behind him. " I wish for you to accompany our guest to the palace." He stepped to the side. "This young woman is a friend of mine."

Ellie smiled a little, happy to have at least once person who thought her to be a friend in a new place… New "world", really.

"She is under both mine and the All-Father's protection," Thor said. "I trust you'd treat her with the respect you'd give any guest of the king of Asgard."

The man's eyes turned to Ellie. He regarded her in silence for a moment, making Ellie feel quite small and virtually naked in comparison to her earth street clothes to the man's grand armor. The fact that the man was a good foot taller than her did not help much ether.

Eventually, however, the guard approached her and bowed. "Welcome to Asgard, lady of Midgard."

In nature, Ellie had never been overly shy and always had a good word or two to say for most circumstances. However, Ellie didn't think this particular situation, coupled with the man's Victorian-like manners, fit under the category of "most circumstances."

"Thanks, uh, Thank you very much," she said, quickly changing her response. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink color.

Thor mounted a large white horse as two guards aided him in lifting Loki up onto the horse's back as well. It amazed Ellie that he didn't put up any kind of struggle. Maybe he was tired- No, that had never stopped him before. Even with the gag on, Ellie knew something about this place had crawled under Loki's skin, making him feel horribly uncomfortable.

Loki had never mentioned Asgard to Ellie, not in detail at any rate. He'd mentioned it as the location where he'd been raised and often made connections to it, but he'd never talked to her about a city crafted from gold and floating stone. He looked back over his shoulder at her and Ellie turned her eyes away. Her hand twitched a little, recalling previous events on the Helicarrier.

"M'lady?"

The voice of the guard pulled Ellie from her thoughts, watching as another man in golden armor approached them with a grand horse.

"Can you ride?" He asked.

The last time Ellie had gotten anywhere near a horse, it had been five years ago on a family vacation. Her father had picked a horseback riding ranch as the relaxation spot of choice and out of the three of them, Ellie had been the only one to have any luck with her horse. "Luck", of course, referred to the horse not throwing her off into a lake- as had occurred with her father- and actually moving when she asked it to- her mother's horse wouldn't move at all. Ellie had even managed to trot, for a minute at least, but the rest of the vacation- it was unanimously decided- was spent hiking and playing in the ranch pool. She shook her head.

The guard smiled and after he mounted his horse, he held out his hand to Ellie. Ellie looked at her parting gifts, still clenched tightly in her left arm. She loosed her grip and after securing the leather book bag and quiver and making completely sure she had a solid grip on her new bow, she offered her hand to the guard.

In a single motion, the powerful man pulled her up, seating her in front of him and wrapping an arm around her to keep her safe as he motioned to Thor. He gripped the reigns tightly. Ellie didn't have time to breathe.

The horses charged like wildfire through the city, stopping for nothing and no one as they charged down a cleared path. The wind whipped Ellie's hair around her, obscuring the view even more. The horses were moving so fast, she could barely catch more than a glimpse of everything they passed. But for a place that… Ellie couldn't be sure. It felt like it was up in the sky, but Thor had clearly said it was another realm. Regardless, things felt warmer here, calmer, something a lot of places on earth had lost long ago. They passed giant statues made of gold, men and women who wore soft flowing silks and heavy, powerful armor. The buildings around her, even the small ones gleamed like gems. Gardens burst with vibrant colors and strange but delicious smells hit her nose. Every building and street they rode past, Ellie wanted to stop and explore, but it all rushed by in a wave of gold until they approached the palace.

It could be seen for miles. Towers rose from the ground, crafted from gold, shimmering like the sun. Endless towers with countless rooms. It reminded Ellie a little of a cornucopia, except with huge towers coming from it. Around the palace were multiple, glorious gardens and golden waterways allowing fresh, clean water to flow freely. At that moment, nothing existed for Ellie but that sight. She'd never thought of a time she both wished she was and wasn't dreaming at the same time.

They slowed their horses to a halt as they approached the entrance of the golden palace. Five people stood there, waiting for them. Four of them stood in a group together, three men and one woman dressed in shining armor, swords at their side. There eyes were all on Thor and Loki.

The women standing apart from them, Ellie observed, was around her mother's age… at least in appearance. She had long golden hair, soft features and wore a dress the color of soft silver, incrusted with gems. Her eyes were on Thor and Loki as well, but unlike the others, her eyes were gentle.

The guards pulled their horses to a halt a little further behind Thor and Loki. They helped her dismount. A little ways away, Ellie could see the woman approaching Thor and Loki, who had also dismounted. She approached Loki, raising her hand. Ellie thought for a moment she was going to hit him, but she only touched his face. She threw her arms around the chained man, hugging him tightly.

"My Lady?"

Ellie's gaze turned a away. A young man was standing there, dressed in simple, but still elegant robes. He bowed to Ellie. "The Prince Thor has asked me to take you inside." He said as another man came up beside him. "He will take your items to your chambers."

Chambers, Ellie though. Where exactly was she staying?

She would have liked to have held on to her bag and bow, but she guessed if she was… if she was going to see a King, it was probably better that she didn't have any weapons on her. She handed them to the other man, who smiled, bowed to her and started on his way. The first motioned for her to follow him. Ellie walked passed Thor, who was now greeting the four other warriors who had been waiting for them, and the woman still holding tightly to Loki.

Is that… Loki's mom?

The interior of the palace almost made Ellie forget about the exterior. Every corridor was lined with gold and ornate rugs. Every door was made of gold and intricately designed. Ellie recognized some of the designs as having Nordic roots, at least that's what she could recall from her Art History courses.

The young man eventually lead her into a small room. The walls, as she'd seen previously were lined with gold. There was a fire place on one wall with a roaring fire and what appeared to be a fur rug laying on the floor. There were several golden chairs lined with thick, comfortable looking cushions and even a sofa. There was also a small table set with several pieces of fruit, a pitcher of water and a tea pot.

"The All-Father should ask to see you shortly," he said. "I'll come for you when he does. Is there anything else I can bring you in the meantime?"

Ellie looked at him. She managed a little smile and shook her head.

"No, thanks."

The man bowed and closed the door behind her.

Ellie eventually walked over and sat down on the couch. She stared at the fire for a while, wondering what was going to happen next. What would the "All-Father" say to her? Heck, what could she say to him? He was a king and she… She was going to be a guest in his house. Wasn't she? What if he said no? Where would she go? And… and what was going to happen to Loki?

Anything that happened to Loki, she figured, now affected her.

She tried to calm herself by making a cup of tea. She sipped it a little, though she didn't feel much like finishing it. It was a strange flavor of tea, nothing like she'd ever experienced on earth, but she liked the way it smelled because it… it reminded her of her mother.

Eventually, the warmth of the tea and the fire started to get to her and she closed her eyes… only to be awoken by a soft hand on her shoulder.

"My pardons, miss," The young man said. "But the All-Father wishes to see you now."


	8. Chapter 8

The whole room seemed to be made of rose gold. At least, it looked like rose gold from all the fire light that sparkled on it as well as the rays of the vibrant sun. The servant that brought her to the chamber walked at an even place, but Ellie's uncertainty made her uncharacteristically slow footed, causing her to run to catch up when she realized just how far she'd fallen behind. Eventually, they passed the golden doors into the Throne room.

She looked around. The chamber, like all the others was lined with gold. But in this room, every inch seemed to be engraved. Decorated with ancient patterns, accented by red and gold banners hanging from the celling. The entrances that were not lined with gold doors had silks hanging from them, blowing softly in the wind as she walked passed. A guard stood at every entrance to the room, eyeing Ellie cautiously. They held their weapons at the ready, poised to strike. Ellie supposed she understood. They didn't know who she was and were only trying to protect their leader.

On the other hand, she didn't like feeling like the only turkey on the planet on Thanksgiving day.

The room was completely silent save for the sound of her footsteps and the young man ahead of her. He lead her up to a golden throne, crafted almost in the shape of an upturned crescent moon with celestial patterns carved into it. At each end of the throne, a large raven with onyx-black eyes perched silently. They ruffled their feathers as Ellie approached. One of them croaked at her as she approached, trilling at the stranger. She jumped a little, worried for a second that it would attack. The servant however, beckoned her to come closer.

There was a man sitting on the golden throne, an older man with a white beard and a golden patch over his eye. He had on heavy armor composed of light and dark gold that seemed to shine even brighter than the gold that made up the palace. A deep red cape flowed from his shoulders, accented by his long grey hair and tired eyes. Ellie looked back at him, darting her gaze away every now and then to collect herself. The servant cleared his throat and Ellie came over beside him. He'd knelt down before the man in golden armor and motioned for Ellie to do the same. She was about to when the man raised his hand to stop her. With another wave, he motioned for the servant to leave.

Ellie stood there, in the center of the room, with every single pair of eyes trained on her. And everyone seemed to be there. Thor, the four warriors from before, the woman who stood next to the now un-gagged Loki, multiple guards, the two ravens and the man on the throne.

Back in college, Ellie had been friends with a few theatre majors who had, on separate occasions, told her that often they would have a dream of being forced on to a stage playing a main role in a play they didn't know with lines they hadn't prepared. And anyone who was anyone was in the audience.

Ellie didn't know if anyone had ever experienced that. But if they had, she guessed this was EXACTLY what it would have felt like.

She swallowed and looked up at the old man, but his intense gaze made her eyes go back to the ground once again.

"Midgardian," he said, his voice echoing across the room, making Ellie feel ten inches tall. "Look to me."

She forced herself to lift her gaze. "Come on," she told herself. "Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid."

"Midgardian," the man said again, rising from his throne. His voice made Ellie tremble a little, but as she looked up at him, she noticed his gaze had changed. It was softer now. "Have no fear here," his voice had softened as well. It was still powerful, but it was less imposing. "My understanding is that you have been through a great deal on Earth to come before us today. Is this true?"

It took Ellie a moment to find her voice. "Yes." She thought again. "Yes, sir."

"What is your name?" He asked.

Ellie knew her own name, yet she had force it off of her tongue. She felt foolish but held herself together. "Ellie," she said. "Ellie Conner."

"I see," the man said. "Daughter of Conner," his voice became strong again. "The man standing under guard," he pointed to Loki. Though no longer gagged, his wrists and ankles were still in chains. He stared at Ellie, his eyes blazing. She tried to meet his gaze but a look flashed in his eyes, a look that pulled her back to that dark caver under the earth and she turned her gaze back to the man on the throne, feeling weak.

"This man is my son."

Had she not bit her tongue, Ellie's jaw would have hit the floor. THIS was Loki's father? And… And Thor's father as well. Well, she guessed it wasn't surprising as Thor had said he was a prince but everything seemed to shock her now. She wondered if her heart would ever come out of her throat.

"Liar." Loki hissed under his breath.

"Do not disgrace the All-Father, You-"

Ellie watched as a young woman in maroon clothes and silver armor was held back by two other men from attacking Loki. They tried to calm her, but Loki's gaze only seemed to provoke her.

"Enough," The All-Father spoke again, his gaze never leaving Ellie. "From what I have been told, you have been wronged by my son. In multiple ways, if I am correct."

Ellie nodded again. "Yes," she said. She thought again. "At least… I think so."

"You think so?" The man repeated.

Ellie swallowed. "I'm… uh… I'm not sure what is defined as "Wrong" in this world, sir."

This response seemed to both confuse and perhaps on some level, amuse the man. "Had my son's actions been different, you would not be here before me today. Is this true?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes."

"Then he had wronged you," The man sat back down. "I wish for you to tell me," he looked to everyone standing around them. "To tell us what occurred."

Ellie had never felt so on the spot in her life, not even at her college gallery showing.

"It's a long story," she said.

"Our people have withstood time and magic itself," the All-Father said. "A long story is not painful to us."

Ellie swallowed. She looked at everyone watching her, catching Thor's gaze for a split second. He nodded to her, giving her a little smile.

Ellie took a breath and turned back to the man on the throne. Calmly, she began her story….

(A/N: Small Chapter I know, but I'll try to update more soon. I want to thank each and every person who has liked/ followed/ left a comment for my story. Really and truly from my heart, you guys, Thank you and know that I'm flattered. I started this off as a personal project just for myself, I had no idea it was gonna grow the way it again. I'm honestly shocked so many of you guys like this as much as you do and I'm honored you like it as much as you do! I hope it continues to live up to your expectations! :D *hugs and love* GOOD KARMA TO YOU ALL!)


	9. Chapter 9

When Ellie finished her story, the once bright blue sky was now fading into waves of deep reds and purples. She had recounted everything- well, everything she felt to be of importance to her story- to Odin, her voice being the only one to fill the room for quite a while. Every now and then, the All-Father would ask her a question, but for the most part, it was only Ellie that spoke.

"How did my son treat you in his care?" He asked.

Ellie was still for a moment. "How do you mean?"

"How he kept you," Odin said. "Were you fed?"

Ellie could feel a little bitterness creeping up inside her. He wanted to know how Loki treated his prisoner. Maybe he was looking for a sign that there was still some good in Loki, something to redeem. Ellie knew there were people who'd done bad things that could be and actually had been redeemed, but all she could see in her mind's eye was Henry. Still, she wasn't going to lie.

"He gave me my own room," she told him. "I had a warm bed and I never went hungry. I even could go to the library he set up if I wanted. I just couldn't talk with anyone, really."

She wasn't about to make it out to be as though she'd lived in a paradise, but again, Loki hadn't kept her as a traditional prisoner. Every pair of eyes in the room remained on her, watching her every move. She wondered if they were judging her on the truth of her story. She supposed since she was talking about someone who, in this world, was held as a royal, they needed to be a little more weary of her story. But it didn't make her feel any more comfortable.

"Did my son ever physically harm you?" Odin asked.

Ellie thought back to when Loki had shoved her that day in the library, grasping her arms so tightly they'd left bruises. She recounted that event to Odin but when she tried to think of anything else…

"That's it," Ellie said, softly. Odin blinked.

"Pardon?"

"That was it," she said. "Only that one time. He didn't…" Ellie thought back to her confinement. Yes, Loki had hissed at her, hinted at a threat in a low, dark voice and even spooked her at times solely for his own amusement. But in all the time she'd been there, he'd never lifted a hand against her. Never hit her or harmed her.

"Did he attempt to defile you?"

This drew reactions from those surrounding them. The elder woman gasped, her face paling as though shocked that the All-Father would ever suggest such a horrid thing. The three men whispered among themselves and Thor and the woman in silver armor regarded Loki with piercing eyes.

Ellie felt her throat go dry. She knew exactly what that question meant, but she didn't think he would be so… forward about it. She paused, thinking back. Again, she remembered one time, but, but that hadn't even been him touching her. He'd only said one thing,

"""And why would I defile your body when I know there will come a day when you shall offer yourself to me of your own will?"""

Other than that, nothing. Sure, he'd touched her, but it had always been along the lines of stroking her hair or touching her chin. Come to think of it, he'd never, even in passing or a joking manner, touched her in any way that might be thought of as sexual. She shook her head.

"No," she said.

"You needn't lie to protect yourself, Midgardian," the woman in silver armor spoke up. "Loki can no longer harm you."

"Sif," Thor spoke up, "Enough!"

"Don't try to protect him, Thor-"

"Silence!" Odin snapped. Both figures shrank back, still fuming. The woman turned away from Thor, openly disgusted.

"Really," Ellie spoke up again. "He didn't… he didn't do anything like that." He might have wanted to, Ellie thought, but he'd acted on it. Had he really been waiting for her to come to him? He should have known she'd never agree to it, so why….

She didn't want to know Loki's reasonings. Hell, she didn't even want to know Loki. She pushed the thought out of her head and looked back up at Odin, continuing her , Ellie found herself with no more words to say about what had happened, good or bad. She believed she'd told King Odin everything of importance, at least she thought so. Odin seemed to be out of questions himself and nodded to her.

"I thank you for your honesty," he said.

Ellie blinked, jaw dropping a little. She felt silly. She knew the man she was speaking to had powers, but how could he tell she hadn't lied? Maybe it had been from raising Loki.

She bowed to him in thanks. He motioned for her to step away before he looked to the guards holding Loki. They brought him forward to the front of the throne, directing him to look right at Odin. Ellie could only see the back of Loki's head, but she could guess that his expression was not a pleasant one.

"Loki Odinson," His voice, soft as it was, overtook the room.

Loki snarled.

"You stand before me a culprit of many crimes. You bare the blood of both Midgardians and Jotuns upon your hands. You attempted to destroy an entire realm. You have brought pain and suffering upon both worlds, destroyed the lives of innocents and sentenced a mortal to a life away from her friends and family. Your acts have shown me nothing but the darkness in her heart."

Ellie's heart stopped. Odin closed his eyes.

"Yet, even if you were not bound to an innocent life, I could not bring myself to sentence you to death."

All eyes turned to Odin.

"You shall pay for your crimes in full, Loki, make no mistake, but after what I have heard from this mortal-"

Ellie felt her heart go up into her throat.

"As well as your brother-"

Loki snarled again.

"Your heart is not a dark as you would have us all believe. Perhaps it is a wish of an old man," he said, "But I do not believe my son to be the monster he sees himself as. Loki Odinson," Odin held his head high, his presence even more overpowering than the man who had greeted them when they had first arrived in Asgard.

"I sentence you to eternal confinement within the walls of this palace. For the time being, you will be confined to your old quarters until I have seen reason to allow you Access to the rest of the palace. Your powers shall be suppressed and you shall be kept under continuous watch." He nodded to the guards. "Take him away."

"Deprive me of my freedom all you wish, All-Father, it shall make no difference," Loki hissed softly.

"You speak without any knowledge of what the future shall bring," Odin said. "When you know the true feeling of a cage, perhaps things will become clear."

Odin's words chilled Ellie. She'd been ready to step forward, declaring Loki's sentence to be too light. She would have, maybe, understood if Loki had been sentenced to death - even though she knew what it would have meant for her, but eternal imprisonment? And especially in a place like this?

But she remembered her own cage. Her golden cage with warmth and comfort and good food and constant- if unwanted- attention. But it was still a cage. No sun, no sky, not even a window to show the outside world. Even pets got brought out of their cages, allowed to run around and play with other animals. She would have been trapped down there or wherever Loki might have taken her forever. A comfy, warm cell, but still a cell. No sun, no sky, no friends, no freedom. And Loki, as far as she knew, was immortal. Immortal and sentenced to life in a cell forever.

That was hell.

The guards started to pull Loki away. His eyes fell upon Ellie.

"All-Father," he said suddenly, his voice strangely calm. "If my sentence is for eternity, then allow me one last taste of freedom."

"You don't deserve such-" The woman in silver began again, but Odin held his hand to silence her. Originally Ellie had wondered if this woman was acting in her defense. She knew Thor to be the God of Thunder, perhaps she was in the presence of the God who guarded or women or victims of crimes. But the hate for Loki in her eyes seemed to blaze. He'd wronged her greatly somehow.

Ellie didn't blame her.

"What is it you wish for, Loki?" Odin asked. The God of Mischief's eyes turned right back to Ellie.

"Let me touch my beautiful flower one last time."

The whole room seemed to speak at once. The woman in silver, Thor, even the Woman who'd appeared to be Loki's mother disapproved. Ellie took a step back, fear tightening around her heart.

Odin lifted his hand, silence fell over the room again.

"If the young woman agrees," Odin said. "Then yes."

The room erupted again, some even shouting for Odin to rethink his choice. Ellie looked back at Loki, his eyes gleamed with desire, anger, a bled of emotions that left Ellie in a tizzy. Ellie still knew so little of Loki, but she knew he would always find a way to get what he wanted in the end.

Better to do it on her own terms.

"Okay."

Her voice, soft as it was, made the room grow still. Everyone's eyes, even Loki's, showed shock. She stepped forward, holding out her hand, her eyes as strong as she could keep them.

"Go on," she said, her voice a mix of sharpness and fear. "Just do it already."

Loki smiled, his arms relaxing as the guards released him. He said nothing as he approached her, regarding her eyes watching his every move. He reached out and took her one hand in both of his, holding it gently. His fingers moved over each digit of her hand, like a sculptor getting to know his materials before crafting a masterpiece.

Ellie had never gotten used to Loki's touch, never gotten to a point where she was comfortable with it. But as uncomfortable as it was, this time felt different. It was not a sly touch nor a touch meant to "remind" her who she "belonged to", it was slow, careful, as though he were memorizing her skin, savoring it. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Ellie remained perfectly still.

He turned her hand over, leaning down and placing his lips very gently, kissed her wrist. His touch was so light that for a split second, Ellie wasn't sure if it was actually Loki who was touching her.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw it. A small green spark where Loki's lips met her wrist. She yanked her hand away, the guards pulling him back, starting to guide him from the room. Ellie took a few shallow breaths, looking down at her wrist. Nothing, not even a mark. But she knew what she had seen! She clutched her wrists, hoping whatever Loki hadn't been too horrible. She lifted her eyes, meeting Loki's gaze one last time, a smile, as always, on his lips as he was lead out of the throne room.


	10. Chapter 10

Ellie watched as Loki was led away, not daring to move until he was fully out of her sight. She held her wrist to her chest, her heart still beating uncontrollably from what she'd seen. That green light. What had Loki done? Her wrist didn't hurt at all, but she could never be too sure. She felt a presence beside her, drawing her from her frozen state. Thor came to her side, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shivered a little before looking at him, seeing the concern in his eyes.

"I'm okay," she said softly. "Really."

"You are too lenient with him, All Father," The Lady Sif spoke again, though her anger was heavily coated by reverence. Odin sighed.

"Perhaps," he said, turning to the woman. "But when you have young of your own, Lady Sif, you will know the weight I bare."

Her cheeks went bright red and she stepped back, knowing she had no right to speak in that area.

Odin sat back in his chair, clearly drained from the weight of the act he had just performed. He rubbed his brow before looking down at Ellie, trying his best to put on a calm face once again.

"Now that judgement has been passed upon my son, Lady Conner," he said. "I believe I should focus on what you were promised."

Ellie blinked. "I… I wasn't promised anything… not that I can recall anyway."

Odin smiled. "I mean the message my son gave to you on Midgard. That you would be welcome in our home, a guest of my house."

Ellie swallowed, wondering if the offer no longer stood because of something she had said about Loki. She wouldn't have blamed them, given all she'd said which didn't exactly paint Loki to be the best of souls, but the fear of being locked away again began to creep into her heart.

As they pulled him away, he kept his eyes trained on her, never leaving until his neck could bare the strain no longer. And so he allowed his guards to lead him away. Their grip upon his arms was strong, though Loki could sense a hint of softness, given that they had been told they were still handling Asgardian royalty. Weaklings.

He said nothing to them as they lead him through the palace, memories conjuring up at ever corridor where he and his bro- where he and Thor used to play and chase each other. Quiet moments spent in the comfort of a book, protected under a torch's warm glow. He tried to suppress the memories. Remind himself they were nothing but lies.

But could something that actually happened be a lie? Even Loki did not have all the answers.

That was not important now. What mattered was his current situation within Asgard, and how he would be able to see his flower again.

It didn't surprise him that Odin had his quarters moved to the other end of the palace. It was not so astounding a feat, really, enough magic and the whole palace could have been rearranged to the All Father's will. It was exactly how he remembered it, though strangely well kept, he suspected his mother had something to do with that. Shelves upon shelves of books, a glorious four poster bed covered in gold and green cloth, his desk, chairs, a small table, his wardrobe. He looked around the room as his captors unlocked his chains, allowing them to fall freely. Perhaps for his own knowledge alone, Loki snapped his fingers once, hoping to conjure a spell to set his guards on fire. Nothing, not even a tiny spark.

So the All-Father's will was already in affect. His powers had been lowered to the basest level.

"May we fetch you anything, My Lord?" One guard asked, breaking Loki's silence.

How cute, attempting to… what did mortals call it? "Kiss Up" Perhaps? Loki could hear the fear in his voice. Good, at least his guards knew who they were dealing with.

"Leave me," he hissed. They didn't have to be told twice. He felt the magic surround his door as they closed it, locking him within his room… his prison now, with no means of escape.

For the moment, anyway.

He walked about his room for a minute, recalling what he had once believed to be his rightful place in the world. No, no longer. He shook his head. Too much sentiment. He'd allow only enough for those few who truly deserved it. But if this was not… NO! He nearly struck himself for his foolishness. Not now. He'd have plenty of time to dwell. Now, he had to make sure his last- and perhaps final for the time being- use of magic had not gone to waste.

Glancing over his shoulder, if only to make sure his guards had no alternate way of observing him with the door to his room closed, he lifted the palm of his right hand directly below his lips. Flexing his fingers carefully, he breathed into his hand.

"Flos, Regis Filia, Exorior."

Loki watched as tiny threads of green light and smoke curled from his hand, curving themselves delicately around each other as though in an intricate dance. They moved gracefully and before long, every shape, every detail was clear to him.

The tiny figure, made of light and smoke, summoned through the life force they now shared, bore her every likeness. A tiny copy, showing each breath and movement. What little magic he now retained was enough to summon this small form and his final spell had not been in vain. He could watch her now, see her every action when when locked away. Even Odin could not prevent that.

"Even if I must remain in this prison for eons at end," He smiled, watching the form kneel to who he presumed must have been the All-Father. "I will always know of you."

Whatever worries Ellie had originally had at first soon vanished at Odin's words.

Odin informed her that he'd taken the liberty of having one of the guest rooms in the Western Wing of the palace- the quarters set aside for guests of honor as well as the farthest location in the palace from Loki's chambers- re-furnished and would from here on out be her living space if she found it acceptable. Ellie doubted that she'd find it "unacceptable." Heck, they could have placed her in the royal dog house and she'd have bet it was akin to five-star hotel.

"I've had your things taken to your quarters," Odin informed her. "If you wish, you may retire for now. I believe that's enough for one day. You are more than welcome to join us for dinner if you'd like."

Ellie didn't feel all that hungry at the moment, but from the way Odin spoke of it, dinner seemed to be ages away. "I'd like that," she said, giving him a smile. Odin nodded.

"Very well then," He rose. Everyone in the room bowed, Ellie followed in suit. "We'll speak more later. Allow yourself this time to settle in, Lady Conner. I welcome you into my home; know that you have the All-Father's protection." With that, he left his throne, the two ravens following behind him.

Ellie's cheeks went bright pink. She'd never regarded herself as someone who deserved something like that. From Odin's voice, she sounded like she was someone important.

She felt she was a lot of things. "Important"….wasn't really one of them. Not a lot, anyway.

"Come," A gentle voice pulled Ellie from her mind and a warm hand placed itself upon her shoulder. Ellie looked up, meeting the eyes of the elegant women from before, the one dressed in silver."I'll show you to your chambers and you can see if it suits you."

Ellie regarded the woman for a moment, looking at her eyes. They were soft, wise, kind…

She had eyes just like...

Ellie bit her tongue, feeling a mist burning behind her eyes. Thor stepped beside the woman, drawing the feeling away slightly.

"You needn't worry," He said. "With Lady Frigga, you are in good hands."

"Frigga," Ellie said softly, the name conjuring a memory. It was a beautiful name… the name of Odin's wife! She WAS Odin's wife, making her Thor's and thus Loki's Mother. Adopted mother perhaps, but from the way she went to him…..

Ellie regained herself, remembering she was in the presence of royalty and bowed. Frigga shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

"Enough bowing for one day," she said. "Come." She began to lead Ellie away. Thor waved to her.

"Rest Well, Lady Ellie," he called. "We'll meet again at Dinner." He turned and walked towards the group of four warriors awaiting him. Ellie took her gaze away, allowing herself to be lead by the Asgardian queen through the palace. It amazed her how easily Frigga navigated the castle. True, she must have lived there for… for longer than Ellie could even dream off, but she didn't seem to hold the slightest hint of fear at getting lost. Ellie allowed herself to relax a little, though her heart was still pounding in her chest from everything that had happened. She looked around her new… home? Could she use that word? Would this grand palace, where some of the most powerful beings in the universe resided… would this place be her home?

Maybe. Not now, at any rate. She didn't have the right to call it that yet.

"It must be overwhelming."

Frigga's words brought her back. "Hmm?" Ellie asked. "Sorry."

"Our palace," Frigga said. "From what I know of Midgard, such architecture is very rare."

"Oh," Ellie said. Well, she had a point, this place was a lot to swallow. "We have some architecture like this," Ellie said. "But I've only read about it and I know it isn's on this scale. You could probably fit the Forbidden City in here easily."

"The what?" Frigga asked.

"The Forbidden City," Ellie said. "It's a huge palace that was built in China a long time ago." She tried to remember the date from her history class but drew a blank.

"And it was forbidden for mortals to enter?" Frigga asked.

"Some," Ellie said. "From what I remember, I think only the Emperor of China and certain officials could go in." She grinned abashedly. "I just remember the buildings more than anything else."

Frigga gave Ellie's hand a little squeeze. "I regret my knowledge of Midgardian history is not as strong or extensive as I would like it to be. Perhaps there is more you could tell me."

"I'm sure you know a lot more than me," Ellie said. "I was just okay at general history. Art History was fine, regular history could… be painful at times."

"You are kind to say that," Frigga said. "But do not sell yourself short, Daughter of Conner."

Ellie wasn't sure how to respond to that. She knew a ton of people who knew a lot more about world history than she did. She was just trying to be honest. But Frigga's kindness was appreciated. A lot, actually.

"Is something wrong?" Frigga asked, taking in Ellie's silence.

"No," Ellie started. "I…yes, I…" She paused, rambling wasn't going to help her anyway. "I'm sorry," she managed to get out, holding a smile. "My mouth sometimes runs away with itself."

Frigga gave her a kind smile and nodded. "My eldest son often does that."

Ellie couldn't suppress the giggle that came out.

Eventually, Frigga lead her to a set of double doors made of gold that bore patterns of flowers and stars. Despite its stature, Lady Frigga seemed to open it with ease as she motioned for Ellie to step inside.

Ellie had figured the whole room would be made of gold, but it still took her breath away. She had never expected her room to be so huge! She could have fit two or three versions of her bedroom back home into it and still had plenty of room. Enough to fill it with several pieces of furniture including a table, a desk, a small love seat and a bookshelf. On the left side of the room were a set of large glass doors that lead to an open balcony.

"Like Jasmine's room," Ellie mused aloud, giggling to herself a little.

"Pardon?" Frigga asked.

"Oh," Ellie grinned. "Just my mouth running away again."

Despite all the gold, Ellie was excited to vibrant colors in the room. The carpet beneath her feet was almost a sherbet orange and several of the flowers on the walls were painted. But the best part was the celling. She figured it must have been enchanted as it reflected the same colors as the sky outside.

"When the sun sets," Frigga told her, "The celling itself turns to night with thousands of stars to sleep under. My sons used to love that."

The large bed in the center of the room was decorated with white and gold bedding, giving it the appearance of a fluffy golden cloud. To her surprise, her book bag and bow and quiver of arrows were already set upon it, waiting for her to return.

"I'll be sure to see that you have some clothes brought in for you," Frigga said. "I was not sure how much you were bringing with you."

"Thank you," Ellie said, turning back to the queen. "I Really… I can't tell you how much I appreciate all this. For a while I thought I won't have anywhere to go… at least not freely."

"I am glad we were able to help you," Frigga said. "One should always have a place to call home."

Ellie turned and looked at her. Seeing the warmth in her face, a genuine, honest warmth, it made Ellie speechless. Frigga wanted her to think of this as her home. She hoped she'd be able to. She nodded her response.

"Is there anything else you might need at the moment?" Frigga asked.

Ellie shook her head. "Not that I can think of. Thank you though."

"Well," Frigga walked over to the young woman. "As the All-Father said, then, you should take this time to rest." She gently put her hands on Ellie's cheeks and placed a kiss on her forehead. "The washroom is the door to your right if you wish to bathe. I'll come for you when its time for supper."

"Thank you," Ellie said. Deep within her, she wanted to throw her arms around this beautiful woman and hug her, cry to her, let out every ounce of sadness and confusion she had in her. But she didn't. It wouldn't be right, she thought. She simply smiled and watched as Frigga left the room, closing the door behind her.

She was alone once again, in her…. in her own room, in the Kingdom of Asgard.

Ellie spent a little bit of time exploring, though "exploring" was somewhat limited to walking around the room several times, sitting on the sofa and chairs, looking in the wardrobe and bathroom and opening the doors to the balcony. The view would have given her a heart attack if she'd not prepared herself for it. All of this new world seemed stretched out before her, a mass of gold and warm colors leading out to an abundant sea of stars. Ellie might have stood there forever if a cold breeze hadn't passed through, coaxing her to go back inside.

She walked back over to the bed and picked up her new bow and quiver of arrows. She held it up in position, trying to remember all she could from her lessons with Clint. It did feel pretty good in her hands, the perfect grip, the right weight. Ellie felt a rising want in her chest to test it out, but seeing how the risk of destroying something probably priceless was too great, she put the feeling aside and sat the bow and quiver down beside her bed. She'd ask Frigga if there was a place where she could practice later.

Her eyes turned back tot he book-bag Tony Stark had given her. It was small, not too small, but upon closer inspection, it looked as though it was packed to bursting. She took a moment to admire the fine quality of the leather and the soft design burned into the edges for detail. This might have been a bag she'd have gotten for herself if she had the money. She wished she could have thanked Tony Stark for excellent taste.

She then opened the bag and for what seemed to be the millionth time that day, her heart stopped. She looked inside, feeling as though she'd just opened a treasure chest. Trembling fingers pulled out the contents.

A small stuffed animal turtle, a little worn from so many years of hugging. Several small bags of candy, her favorite kinds. A pack of paint brushes, the ones she always used whenever she worked on something special and a few tubes of paint. Several hair scrunches as Ellie rarely kept her hair down, especially when painting. A small pack of photos which Ellie didn't dare open as she thought she'd break down if she did. A small, but colorful empty journal. And finally, a small bundle of letters. On the front of the bundle was a card, which read.

"_They know you're safe. They wanted to make sure you had a few special memories of home. All the Best. Phil."_

Trembling, Ellie put the card aside and unwrapped the bundle of letters. She put several of them to the side opened one of the letters. A picture fell out onto her lap and four faces looked up at her. One, woman entering in to old age, but seemed to be doing so gracefully. Her brown and white hair was pulled back in a pony tail, the lines around her face made her look wise, yet gentle. Next, a tall older man who was a tad on the skinny side. He was wearing a turtleneck and had brown hair with soft brown eyes. The third, a young, but huge wolf-like dog with light brown and grey fur. And finally, her own face.

They'd taken that last year for their family Christmas card before Ellie had headed off for her final year of college. It had kind of been a spur of the moment photo, with her father claiming that while none of them were dressed up, the honesty of the moment made this the best photo that had ever been taken of them.

He was right.

Ellie opened the letter.

"_My Dearest Ellie,_

_I have not been able to say these words to you for so long so I shall say them now. I love you. I love you more than you shall ever now and as each day passes, I love you more and more. And while my heart breaks at the thought of…. Well, know that my love is always there and always with you. As is your father's love for you and of course, Tobey._

_I wish I could be writing these letters to you under kinder circumstances. Updating you on our lives at home while you were away at college. But the knowledge Agent Coulson has given me is limited and while I wish I could know all of what you have been through, my beautiful, brave girl, my prayers have been answered. You are safe…"_

The letter continued on for pages and pages, but Ellie didn't get that far. Not even beyond the first paragraph when the tears began to fall. Everything, everything of the last two months, her capture, her recovery, the knowledge she'd never be able to return home, a new world… it all came down her cheeks.

She was barely able to push the pictures and letters out of the way as she crawled onto the bed, grabbing her stuffed turtle and hugging it tightly to her chest. She inhaled deeply, it smelled of home. The tears came even stronger. She lay there on the bed, her treasures from home spread out around her and simply wept into the sheets.

It was when he heard a soft, strange noise that Loki summoned his small figure of his flower again. He'd allowed it to vanish for the time keep from wasting power and allow what little magic he had left to regroup and recharge inside of himself. But that sound, something about it drove him to summon his small form of her again.

He wasn't even sure where the sound came from. There was no one else in the room, he knew it hadn't come from outside the door and while, had his powers been stronger, the tiny form of her might have been able to speak, he knew it didn't come from her. He watched as the smoke and lights formed the tiny figure of his flower.

He'd… he'd never seen her this way before.

Of course he'd seen her cry, if only in secret. In the time they'd spent together, she'd mostly kept her tears to herself. He'd seen her upset and distraught over the loss of her freedom and how greatly she missed her home…

But he'd never seen her like this.

Curled up so tightly, she might as well have been a tiny bug in a cocoon and while he could not hear her, he knew she was weeping. Someone must have brought her to the room Thor had promised she would have… but at the knowledge that she had sanctuary, why was she crying? Why wouldn't she stop?

The fingers of his other hand twitched and reached up towards the form, but he stopped himself. Where had he come up with such a foolish thought? Even if they were connected, he couldn't comfort her through-

Comfort?

He stared at her form for the longest time till something inside made him dismiss the small form. It depressed him too much to see her that way. But why? He'd seen her sad before, why should it- He waved the thought away. He'd seen enough upset people today to last him a life time and if he wanted to think of his flower, he'd think of her at her best, the most beautiful he'd ever seen her.

Strange though, for the rest of the night, he could not get the image of her crying out of his head.

When it was time for supper, Frigga came calling on the young girl again. But after three knocks and no response, she began to get nervous. She opened the door and looked in at the scene.

At first, the sight of the girl curled up on the bed startled her. Had she fallen sick? Had the trip through the Bi-Frost been too must for her? But as she came closer, she saw the items laying on the bed, the empty book bag, the pack of letters. She picked up one of the letters, opening it a little to read the first half. Eventually, she stopped, looking down at the girl on the bed. She gave a sad smile and collected the other items around the bed, placing them back into the book bag which she laid beside her bow and arrows. She collected the letters and the photos and placed them on the bed-side table before pulling out a spare blanket from the wardrobe and laying it over the girl's body. She stroked Ellie's hair once before rising to leave. A servant met her at the door, holding a beautiful light blue dress in her hands.

"My Queen?" She asked, "Is she-"

"I believe she needs a little more rest," Frigga said. "I'll have someone send up a tray for her later. I'd actually like to talk to you about finding some more clothes for her."

"Of course, My Queen." The servant bowed.

"Good," Frigga smiled. She looked back into room, casting a look at the girl on the bed. She closed her eyes, praying Valhalla would watch over her tonight.

"Grant her the comfort she needs," Frigga thought, closing the door softly behind her.

N/A: For any Latin majors, I'm gonna take a guess that my Latin is completely wrong so no disrespect to anyone. ^^ And apologies too if my History or mythology is off. I hope you guys are still enjoying this and still sticking with me and that Ellie hasn't at any point become a Mary-Sue. ^^ Please leave comments and feedback! I love you guys! Kudos, Good Karma and Lots of love!


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N: A HUGE THANKS TO SHULAMITHBOND ON TUMBLR FOR BETA READING MY FRIGGA AND LOKI SCENE! THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D )**

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It was the bright light of the sun that first awoke her, followed by the sounds of birds she'd never heard before. Some trilled notes that sounded like a piccolo, others gave grand calls for their mates. At last, one sounded recognizable, and very near by. She opened her eyes and looked up. There, sitting on the edge of one of the golden chairs, looking at her, was a huge black raven.

Ellie rubbed her eyes and pushed herself up, feeling the blanket around her fall backwards. She blinked, completely unaware of the time or her surroundings. She wondered for a split second if she was in a dream, before everything came back to her again, crashing into her. She sniffled once, hugging her stuffed turtle to her chest. She rubbed her eyes, still red and puffy.

The raven jumped off the chair and hopped over to her on the bed, watching her closely. Its gaze, as far as she could tell- Ellie didn't know much about ravens- was more out of interest than any kind of anger. As though it saw her as a curiosity, not a threat.

Feeling braver, or at the very least, curious, Ellie reached out and stroked the bird gently on the top of its head, feeling a little better as she did. The bird cooed a little, walking over and settling itself on her knee as she continued to pet it. It reminded her of all the times Tobey would come to wake her up in the morning. He'd sit by her bedside and whimper and eventually bark until she got up to feed him. At the thought, Ellie could feel a few more tears come to her, but she took a deep breath and pushed them back. She'd been crying for a while now and she really didn't want to cry any more. Wallowing in sadness never helped anyone, she reminded herself. She allowed herself a couple more tears before rubbing them away, resolving herself to be strong… as strong as she could be at least.

After a few more pets, the bird let out a call of thanks, turned and flew from the room, out the open balcony doors. Ellie blinked. She knew she'd closed them before she'd opened her book bag. How'd they get open? And for that matter, where had the blanket around her come from? She guessed she'd have to get used to a lot of things she guessed she considered unnatural but the rest of Asgard found them commonplace. She looked out the balcony window again. The sun was high in the sky, giving off a morning light.

Morning?

Ellie pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes again. How long had she been asleep? She noticed everything had been taken off the bed and laid next to her bow and arrows or on the bedside table. On the desk, a tray had been laid for her, the dishes all covered to keep in heat. Ellie felt a pang of guilt as she realized she'd missed dinner. She sat there for a few minutes trying to figure out exactly what she should do next before she decided that the best choice of action was to at least make contact with some one and find out a little bit more about her new… living space.

Ellie got up from the bed and went over to the room that Frigga had pointed out as the washroom. She shouldn't have been surprised, but the sight of the room, covered in blue and white tiles, mixed with gold, it would have made the finest hotels in the world jealous. The sunken-in bath, Ellie figured, was about two inches deeper than she was tall and there were at least twenty different bottles of soaps and perfumes to choose from.

Rather than running a bath, Ellie opted to simply wash her face and brush back her hair, at least to make herself look presentable. It was a better option than risking possible flooding of her new bathroom. As she left, she looked down at her clothes. They seemed kind of wrinkly from the previous day and didn't exactly smell the best… No sense in not looking.

Ellie went over to one of the wardrobes and while it was mostly empty, Ellie did find a simple yellow dress which she quickly changed into. She'd have to keep with her tennis shoes for now, but she was happy that she at least looked a little nicer. Feeling more confident at her appearance, Ellie walked from her room…

And quickly found herself completely lost.

Massive was not an appropriate word to describe this palace. She doubted there that actually fit the grandeur of this place. It seemed to her more like a never-ending labyrinth of gold than an actual palace and within a good ten minutes, Ellie realized she not only had no idea where she was, but had no way of knowing how to get back to her own room.

"Great," Ellie mumbled to herself. "First day and already I'm-" Suddenly, the found of footsteps caught her attention and she saw a woman in brown and golden robes walking through the hall.

"Oh! Excuse me!" Ellie called out, running towards her. The woman stopped, surprised at Ellie's approach. Ellie eventually caught up with her.

"Hi," She breathed out, giving a smile. "Listen, uh, I know this is a weird question, but can you tell me where I am?"

The woman stared at Ellie, blinking a minute before addressing Ellie as gently as she could. "You are in the Palace of Asgard, Miss."

"Oh," Ellie smiled. "I know that. I meant, where in the palace am I? I kinda got lost from my room."

The woman blinked. She looked over Ellie's dress and spoke again. "And… where would you like to go, miss?"

Ellie paused. That actually had been one thought that had not passed her mind. She knew she wanted to find someone who could help her… but she had no idea where anyone was. She blushed deeply. Suddenly, she recalled Frigga from the previous night.

"Queen Frigga," Ellie said. "I'm looking for Queen Frigga."

This, to Ellie's surprise, prompted a small smile from the woman. She looked over Ellie's ensemble again and lifted her hand to her mouth to hide the budding smile. There was a hint of laughter in her voice as she spoke. "The… The Queen, Miss? I'm afraid I don't know where she is."

"Do you know where I could find her?" Ellie said. "I really have no idea-"

"You needn't look far."

Both Ellie and the woman turned to see Frigga standing there, dressed in a fine forest green dress, her hair done up carefully while several strands ran down her back. The woman bowed low and Ellie followed in action. Frigga raised her hand to dismiss it.

"I was coming to see if you were all right," Frigga said, approaching Ellie. "You were quite exhausted last night."

"Oh," Ellie said, wondering if Frigga had been the one to cover her with the blanket. "Yeah, I'm… I'm sorry I missed dinner."

"Nothing to apologize for," Frigga said. "I'm simply glad you at least seem a little more comfortable now."

Comfortable might not have been exactly the right word, but Ellie did feel more at ease, a little bit at least. She nodded. "Yeah," She smiled. "Actually, I was just looking for you."

"As was I," Frigga smiled. "I'm about to have tea in the library. You're more than welcome to join me if you wish. You must be hungry after last night."

After a day and a half without really eating anything, tea sounded amazing.

"I'd love that," Ellie said. "Thank you."

"Not at all," Frigga said. "However, I'm sure we can find something a little nicer for you to walk around in." Frigga gave the woman beside Ellie a smile. "I'll admit, seeing someone walking around in a nightgown isn't something one sees every day."

Ellie's face turned beet red.

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Soon enough, Ellie found herself dressed in a simple, yet elegant light blue gown with a small jeweled belt and a soft blue cape clasped with a sapphire brooch. The low sleeves and sweetheart neckline left her shoulders bare, yet she didn't feel overly cold. Her hair had been done up in the back and one of the young ladies of the palace had placed a flower clip in her hair and brought her a pair of soft, slip-on shoes to wear. A young man then guided her to the palace library where she found Frigga sitting next to a set of wide windows, a table set for two with tea and pastries was laid out. She was reading quietly from a small brown book which she put to the side as soon as Ellie entered.

"Lovely," She said, looking at the dress. "I thought it would fit you well. I was roughly your size back then."

Ellie had to bite her lip to keep herself from gasping. Was she wearing-

"Sit, please," Frigga motioned her to sit across from her as a servant filled both their cups with tea and placed a few pastries upon Ellie's plate. At first, Ellie could do nothing but stare. Stare at the lovely layout of the tea and treats before her, stare at the beautiful woman who'd been so kind to her, and stare at the library itself. It felt endless, as though every book in the world was contained within this room. Frigga simply watched her in return, smiling at her awe.

"Asgard's library houses texts from every world and realm known to us," she said. "We have a whole wing dedicated to Midgardian authors."

Ellie didn't doubt it. A whole wing of this Asgardian library looked as though it could house six or seven large libraries back on earth; books AND the buildings.

"It's… I don't think I know the right word for what this is," Ellie said. "It's more than incredible, it's…" Ellie struggled to find a strong enough word to describe everything she was seeing, but ultimately she guessed there wasn't one. She gave an embarrassed smile and started to drink her tea. Frigga smiled kindly back at her.

"Did you sleep pleasantly?" She asked.

It took Ellie a moment to find her answer to that question. Despite the emotional roller coster of yesterday's events and the apparently endless stream of tears, she did feel strangely rested. She couldn't even remember having a dream last night.

"I… I actually did," Ellie said, more surprised than anything else.

"I am glad to hear it," Frigga said, passing her a plate of pastries. Ellie took two rolls and put them on her plate, collecting the butter and jam afterwards. She took one bite and nearly tore herself apart internally to not shove the whole thing down her throat. They were amazing. Like the Sugar Rolls her mom made at her bakery, with just enough sugar on the top. She took small bites, trying to savor it. Back at home, she would have already been through five of them.

"You've been through much and I can guess a good deal of rest would be welcomed," Frigga added.

"Well, having a really comfy cloud-bed helps too," Ellie said, smiling. She looked up from putting jam on her roll to get a look at the puzzled expression on Frigga's face. "Oh, it's… it feels really soft."

"You're not on earth anymore, dummy," Ellie thought to herself.

Frigga smiled. "As I said last night, I am not as familiar with current terminology's and popular cultural on Midgard as I would like to be."

"Oh. Well," Ellie's mind raced to find a good counter-point. "Well, that was just something I made up on the spot, actually. And not all of the popular culture on earth is that interesting… You probably know more about… Midgardian popular culture than I know about all of Asgard's history and customs combined ma'am."

Frigga nodded. "That is probably true." She smiled. "Which is why I believe there is much we can learn from each other."

Ellie blinked. "What?"

"I should like to know about Midgard from the point of view of one who has actually lived there and, if I am to guess correctly, I would guess you'd like to know more of Asgard, yes?"

Ellie nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, I would, absolutely!"

Frigga laughed. "If you would like, I would be happy to teach you about the history and customs of Asgard. I have scheduled appointments throughout the day, but if you'd like I could set aside several times for us each day to meet. In between those times, you'd be free to study, explode, I could even arrange for you to have some riding lessons if you wished. In exchange, I'd like to know more about Modern Midgard, its current comings and goings-" Her eyes softened a little. "As much as you know, of course, and its current popular culture."

Ellie's smile grew as large as it could possibly go and she felt her heart pounding in her chest, like she'd just been awarded a blue ribbon at an art fair. "You.. I don't know what to say! I.. Yes! Yes, I would love that! Thank you! That would be amazing, Thank you so much!"

Frigga smiled. "Very well then, it's settled. We'll begin tomorrow at midday."

"Awesome!" Ellie smiled, forgetting for a split second that she was in the presence of royalty. "What should I prepare? What would you like to know? I don't know where the best place-"

Ellie fell silent as Frigga placed a finger to her lips, stopping them in mid sentence. "Whatever you feel is best, we will begin there. I've heard a great deal about Midgardian Literature, but never experienced it. There seems to be a great deal of emphasis on magic and creatures of the dark arts, is this true?"

Ellie nodded. "Oh, yeah. For years, every one I knew wanted to go to Hogwarts. Even my dad! He said we'd both be in the Ravenclaw house, but I always thought I was more of a Hufflepuff."

Frigga's blank expression made Ellie mentally slap herself.

"Oh…. they're both houses in a school for witches and wizards in a popular book."

Understanding came to Frigga's eyes. "I see. I suppose the lack of magic on Midgard, or at least, it's limited use, has made it a great desire for so many."

"A lot of kids want to be witches or wizards, at least from reading "Harry Potter"- Oh, that's where the terms "Ravenclaw" and "Hufflepuff" come from. A lot of girls also want to be Princesses."

This seemed to intrigue Frigga. "Really? They are that interested in properly governing a kingdom and learning about the different elements that come together to create a strong society."

"Eh…." Ellie gave a sheepish smile. "Most of them just wanna wear pretty dresses and marry a prince."

Frigga frowned. "Is that what a Princess does on Midgard? A poor representation of the word."

Ellie nodded. "They've been trying to change the image. Kind of, at least, Disney keeps going back and forth-"

"Disney?"

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That was where their first lesson began. Or introductory lesson. After an hour, Ellie had barely scratched the surface of both the "Disney" Company and the "Harry Potter" series. Frigga found much of it interesting, especially Midgard's interest in Magic, but after hearing more about it, she bore mixed feelings for the "Disney" company.

"And why change the story so drastically?" She asked, pausing a moment to eat a small slice of fruit.

"I think they found the original ending of the story too grim. No one wanted to see Ariel die," Ellie told her.

"But it shows her honest love for the prince and how she held no distain for his choice. She would not take an innocent life to save her own soul. True, in choosing a woman, he wronged her deeply, but it seems a stronger message."

All Ellie could do was shrug on that one. "Happy endings sell better," she said. Her cheeks grew pink as she smiled. "And I didn't want to see Ariel die ether… She was one of my favorite princesses."

After a moment, Frigga nodded. "Well, she wanted to expand her horizons and know of a world beyond hers… Though I would have preferred more emphasis on that than her desire for a prince, but I see its appeal."

"A lot of people have mixed feelings on Disney and their movies," Ellie said. "For various reasons."

"I can see why," She said. "And I thank you for speaking to me of it. You have a strong mind for it."

"Oh, well, I got really interested in their art style in college. For my Sophomore final, I created a collection of works that combined Disney's animation style with several of the most popular artist of the respected time periods of several select films."

This caught the Queen's attention. "You are an artist?"

Ellie nodded. "I graduated as a Visual Arts major. I like doing some sculpting, but really, I adore painting."

Frigga nodded. "I shall have to remember that. And if you are planning to continue your work here on Asgard I should like to see the final products."

"Painting here would be incredible," Ellie said, looking out the window. They must have been talking for quite some time as the sun was directly above them, shining an afternoon-ish light. "I've never seen so many colors in the scape of one city, with such a mix of hues. I mean, San Francisco has incredible colors but this…." Ellie smiled. "It still feels like a dream."

Frigga looked at her. "A good one?"

Ellie had to think for a moment, but when she spoke, she answered honestly. "One that's… getting better. I mean, one that's always improving."

Frigga smiled brightly. "I'm glad for that."

At that moment, the door to the library opened and a young man came in, approaching the table and kneeling to the queen.

"I am deeply sorry for the interruption, my queen, but I know you wished for me to remind you-"

"Oh," Frigga nodded. "Yes, of course, I thank you. I'll be there very shortly."

The man rose and bowed to Frigga. He nodded his head respectfully towards Ellie.

"I'm so sorry for the interruption, M'lady," he said before turning and leaving. Frigga sighed.

"Meetings call, unfortunately," she said, rubbing her brow. "And time flies too quickly." She looked back at Ellie. "Shall we continue this tomorrow?"

Ellie nodded. "That would be great."

Frigga smiled. "Thank you for joining me today," She said. "I had a lovely time."

"So did I," Ellie said. "I…" She looked down. Her fingers fiddled with the broach on the cape. "You're being, I mean, You've been so kind to me… I don't know how to thank you."

"Kindness is the result of wanting to be kind," Frigga said. "Not out of want for thanks."

"But… I mean… I've barely been here a day and… You've been so welcoming to me. I mean, not that everyone hasn't, I-"

Frigga stopped her again with a finger on her lips.

"Tell me, Daughter of Conner. If I were a stranger in your land, baring a great loss upon my shoulders and hoped to find peace and comfort, would you offer it to me? And expect nothing in return?"

Ellie stared up at the beautiful woman before her, nodding after a moment.

"I would not wish the loss of ones home, ones family on any of mine enemies, let alone an innocent. But, even if I bore the strength of the All-Father and then some, the past can not be undone." She put a hand to Ellie's cheek. "But I can look to the now and the future and hope that with aid, you might come to give Asgard the name of "home".

She wasn't sure if it was the words, or the ernest or the warmth in the Goddess's expression that brought the tears back… or simply the hope, deep within her heart, that the same wish might come true. But she felt several of them come down her cheeks, staining the beautiful blue material of the dress. Frigga smiled and handed her a napkin, allowing her to dab her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I… I cried so much last night, I didn't think I had anymore tears."

"Share as many tears as you wish," Frigga said. "It's better than making yourself drown in them."

That brought forth a smile from the young woman. Suddenly, remembering the gentleman who had just came in. "Um…"

"Yes?" Frigga responded.

"How- this is a silly question but, how would I address you?"

Frigga blinked.

"I mean," She bowed her head respectfully. "You're the queen. Do I call you "Your Highness", "My Queen", "My Lady?"

"Ah," Frigga nodded in understanding. "Well, since you are not of Asgard, I am not your queen by the strictest definition. And since you are not serving me, you needn't say "My Lady." But I suppose as your teacher, you would address me as "Lady Frigga."

Ellie smiled. "Okay. Thank you, Lady Frigga."

"You are very welcome, Ellie, Daughter of Conner."

"Oh, 'Ellie' is fine."

"Very well, Ellie." Frigga poured herself one last cup of tea before lifting it in a toast. Ellie did the same before drinking. They finished their tea and rose together to leave the room.

"Lady Frigga?" Ellie asked as they reached the door.

"Yes?"

"… Would there happen to be anywhere in the palace where I could practice my archery?"

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The meeting didn't lasted all that long. She hadn't expected it to. Another tasting for another banquet to be held soon, nothing out of the ordinary. When she'd finished, however, she'd turned to the young guard who had accompanied her there, handing him a few gold coins.

"I thank you for your company," she said. "I wish to be on my own for the time being."

The man accepted the golden coins, kissed her hand and turned to go.

"Good sir."

The man turned and faced the queen, bowing once again.

"If anyone comes seeking my company," she said. "I wish not to be disturbed."

The man nodded again and left, leaving the queen on her own. Frigga left the room and walked down the golden corridor to the Eastern Wing of the palace. A few servants passed her by, but other than that, the wing was completely empty. Eventually, she passed by the few remaining doors and climbed up a long, winding staircase till she came to a single door, locked with magic and guarded by two men. Shocked by her appearance, they fell to their knees in a gesture ofrespect.

"Leave us," She said simply. One of the guards opened his mouth to challenge her request, but a simple glance from her silenced him. They both bowed their heads and rose, walking away. She knew they'd wait in the stairwell for her return and that they'd prepare themselves in case things went awry. It was their duty to protect her.

They did not need to. She did not need protection here.

Using her magic, she waved her hand over the door and unlocked it, stepping into the chambers as the door closed behind her.

Her son was reclining casually in a green arm-chair, an open book in one hand, his other palm bare- At least of anything of physical substance.Instead, constructed by threads of shimmering green light, was a projection of a young woman dressed in a simple blue tunic and dark pants. She carried a bow in one hand with a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder and was walking to her desired destination. He had not yet looked at her, assuming, possibly, that it was his brother or father who'd come to see him. She'd rectify that assumption at once.

"A constant gaze is never welcomed," she said, drawing his attention instantly. "And I am certain she will have quite a few pairs of eyes upon her in the days to come."

He rose quickly from his chair, the book toppling to the floor, the figure in his palm vanishing. He stared at her, his expression blank as she approached him, though his eyes never broke away from hers. She reached out and touched his palm, her fingers soft.

"You needn't worry about her." She said.

A very small smile came to his lips. "It is not worry."

"Perhaps," Frigga said. "Though I hoped you would say otherwise."

Loki lowered his head for a moment, clearing his throat. "I know not why-"

"You have never played me for the fool, Loki," Frigga said, her tone still soft, but her words full of strength. "Do not begin now."

Loki lifted his head, his eyes, for the first time in a while, truly soft. "Come to proclaim your hate?" The drop of fear in his voice was so small, only a master could have picked it out.

Frigga was a master.

"Yes," She said. "I hate that you killed those midgardians. I hate that you tried to bring a planet under your rule. I hate that you turned from your brother and I hate that you tortured and enslaved an innocent." Her eyes never left her son's face. She reached up and touched his cheek. "But, Loki, my son, I could never hate you."

Loki placed his hand to her's. "Your heart is one of gold, mother."

"A mother may forever hate the acts her son committed… but a mother's love for her son is eternal. And you are my son, Loki. Accept or deny it, it is forever how I shall feel."

Loki's fingers connected his mother's hand tenderly, brining it to his lips like a gentleman. "I have never, nor shall I ever view you as anything but my mother, my Queen Frigga."

She looked up, a spark of hope in her eyes. "And your father and brother?"

Loki looked away, choosing not to respond. Frigga did not push him on it further.

"Her mind is a very interesting place." Frigga mused. "Very creative and willing to learn. She's an artist by trade."

Frigga looked back at her son, his face still blank. "You never asked her about that? She finished school with an…" Frigga paused a minute to recall the words. "An 'undergraduate' degree in the fine arts."

Loki's face softened. "I recall her mentioning an interest in the arts once," he said. Back in his base on earth, he'd often found his flower in the library, reading books about famous Midgardian painters or browsing through books about art and sculpture.

"I assume you asked her about herself."

Loki did not respond.

"Even guards ask questions about their prisoners."

"She was not-" Loki caught his mother's gaze and paused.

"If not a prisoner, than what, Loki? A slave? A bargaining item? From all I know from both yourself and her, you never lifted a hand against her… Well, once, but even she admitted to your kindness in that regard. Why take away the life of someone you barely knew?"

"I did not-"

"Keep her eternally bound to you? Force her to leave all she knows and loves? Making her choose between a trapped life on her own world and becoming a stranger in a world of which she knows nothing? I may know you, Loki, but even I cannot make sense of this. You have never been so cruel!"

"I do not expect anyone to understand my acts. What one views as cruelty, another might view as kindness."

"Kindness in captivity?! Were you so desperate for something to own and rule over? I know there are those who would fall to you instantly, why choose one whom you know so little of? Who never wanted this? Do you feel nothing for the acts you have done?"

"I-"

Loki stopped mid-sentence. The image of his flower crying last night crossed his mind. His strange nature in that moment, how he had wanted to comfort her. He'd seen her tears before and not cared. Well, maybe not a great deal at least. They had been tears of anger, hate for him and his acts, the tears he'd seen last night. Her face came to his mind again. As well as the smile he'd seen on her face today. When she'd been dining with his mother. She'd never, never given Loki such a smile, one of thanks and gratitude.

She did look lovely when she smiled.

"Loki," Frigga's voice was calm, but her tone could bring a room of rowdy drunks to order. "Do you hold any regret for what you have done? I know Odin denied you a great deal and that shall not be forgotten… but does life mean so little to you that you would take it at a whim?"

Loki looked away. "Not all life."

"And her?" Frigga watched his every moment. "If you could reverse time and stop yourself from doing what you did to Ellie Conner, if you knew there were others who would do anything to take her place… would you let her go?"

If anyone else had asked him that question, he would have responded instantly. But Frigga, to her he would not show such disrespect. She wanted an honest answer, something he was not good at. Still, he closed his eyes and began to think. True, his flower was one face in millions and millions of Midgardians. True, he knew there were many, many others who would have fawned over him and praised him like a king willingly. True, he knew very little of her and he hadn't asked many questions of her, his mind had been wrapped up in other things. His plans for Midgard, the Tesseract…

The pleasure of her presence.

But… his mind kept returning to the first day they'd met. His presence had horrified her, she hadn't screamed for help nor completely submitted to him. She'd even challenged him. The only mortal he'd beheld that day who'd acted with caution rather than rash courage or complete submission.

And he hadn't been able to get her out of his head. He'd wanted to find this lovely little mortal again, show her where her place and the place of all her kind was, at his feet… but she'd only fallen to him at the mention of her family, Not even the power of the Tesseract, the object that brought Agent Clint Barton to his knees before Loki, had swayed her.

That ability alone, one mind he could not tame. One constant challenge that outwardly accepted her circumstances, but was always looking for a way out, some way to get away from him.

He'd found a treasure. Something all his own. Something no one could touch nor take away from him. He'd always have one creature whom he'd have power over.

But…

There were a great many more Midgardians and for his mother's sake, he tried to picture another in her place… he could not. He tried, he forced his mind to think of someone else, but the moment she appeared, the moment he saw another in that dress and not his flower, his mind revolted, bringing his treasure back instantly.

"_Do you not think that I did not consider my actions? Did I not say before I could have had any mortal I desired? Yet in the end, I chose you." _

He had. Before her capture, he had considered it. He'd tried to put her out of his mind in the possibility of finding another treasure…

But there had been none. He could not think of any. And the thought of her not drinking the potion, not binding herself to him, remaining with the mortals.

The very thought brought an ache to his heart.

Loki paused, mentally attempting to shake off the feeling. Such a violent reaction over a simple thought? A foolish way for one such as himself to view a simple question. He'd simply have no other but his Flower serving him, such was his wish. Collecting himself, he turned back to his mother. "No."

Frigga didn't move. "You'd take none of it back?"

"None."

Frigga nodded slowly. "She must be something great to you."

Loki turned away, a small smile on his lips. "You are the second person to insinuate that."

"I insinuated nothing."

Loki blinked, looking back at his mother. Her face was bare, honest even in her looks. "I merely said she must be something of great worth to you. What did you believe I said?"

Loki stared, his mouth open only slightly as his mind began to race. She had… no, she had not. His mind had gone back to what that fool Stark had said before. Why would he think his mother-. He shook his head.

"Nothing," he said. "Thor suggested I viewed her as a treasure as well."

Frigga smiled, always able to see through her son's lies. "And how do you see her?"

Loki met his mother's gaze. "She is my flower."

Frigga's smile faulted a little, but she nodded once again. She walked to her son and kissed him on the cheek, embracing him as he returned it. She turned to leave.

"Can I trust that you will look after her for me?" Loki asked.

Frigga paused, choosing not to look back. "I will look after her for her sake." She said.

Loki managed a smile. "You have my thanks."

He watched his mother leave, the door closing and locking again behind her, the magical barriers doing their work once again. He shook his head, trying to make his mother's words leave him, but they remained strong. She had not insinuated anything… where had that come from?

He was still trying to dismiss it when he summoned his Flower's form again. No longer walking, she was standing in an archer's position, holding her bow carefully as she loaded her arrow…

X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X!X


End file.
